The Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance is an interesting group of community leaders who are interested in broadband in their areas. The group includes folks who are technical and folks who understand the need. We get some examples of how broadband is making municipal life easier – such a remote meter reading, which means no more meter reader knocking on the door. And we learn about the ins and outs with partnering with different types of organizations to build better networks. Very creative!

Gigi Sohn often joins the call, which is a fantastic glimpse at what’s happening at the national level and often a sneak peek into some of the inner workings. I have high level notes from the meeting below.

Notes from Gigi Sohn

• 18 BEAD plans are OK’ed but only one has NIST approval
• NTIA is tinkering with benefit of the bargain, then best and final offer – where lowest wins no matter what. Apparently, NTIA is making folks do a second “best and final offer” round.
• NTIA has sights out for public broadband and cooperatives
• On Friday Executive Order that will require all states to pre-empt all local AI regulations before getting fed funding. This may be a stopper.
• Nondeployment money could be used for adoption et al when first introduced but now – seems like the states will have to give back all or most of the unused (nondeployment) funds
• Some in congress is writing bills to give the money back to the federal government
• Benton is working on a letter (125 legislators have signed) to let states keep their designated funds
• Recommended reading: From Promises to Performance: BEAD Enforcement Tools States Need Now
• Recommended webinar: Building Smarter Cities and the Cost of Doing Nothing

Questions:

How can we support Gigi?
Get MN policymakers to sign the Benton letter

Are here any community networks interested in private funding?
Sounds like a disaster

Notes from OBD

• MN did not accept non-use of waivers. We think we have support on some of the waivers.
• There is more than $200 million in nondeployment
• There is support in Congress to let states keep their money
• It seems like NTIA wants to push too far – get to a point where providers won’t sign a contract
• Minnesota’s proposal is close – but the slow down is likely the waivers
• NIST is an issue.
• LEO is a hiccup when you want to build to the future
• Line Extension is due next week (Nov 25)

Questions:

Is there a template or model we can create for counties to show what BEAD can look like?
Yes, very close

What could the unintended consequences be on border to border program?
We need to do education on what federal funding means versus state funding. Providers are also looking at the cost of federal funding.

Next Meeting Dec 17 – and that could be a very important meeting.