From the Office of Broadband Development…
Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates
- Register today! April 29, Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit
- Virtual Broadband Development Training Series, starts Thursday April 2
- Line Extension Connection Program
- Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) in Minnesota
- DEED Blog: An introduction to the Minnesota Broadband Charter
Thank you to the Hmong American Partnership (HAP) and Comcast for inviting OBD to join Mayor Her of Saint Paul, along with other state and local elected officials, to participate in touring HAP’s newly renovated Lift Zone and learning how the Lift Zone continues to advance connectivity, learning, and opportunity for residents through expanding digital access, enhancing technology resources, and creating refreshed community spaces that support digital equity initiatives and emerging telehealth efforts.
Register today! April 29, Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Office of Broadband Development is hosting the Connecting One: Minnesota 2026 Broadband Summit on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. This in-person event will bring together national leaders, internet service providers, federal, state, tribal, and local government partners, and broadband advocates from across Minnesota. Connecting people to resources, information, and each other is critical to Minnesota’s economic stability and digital opportunity.
The summit will be held at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center (6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55434).
We are committed to providing equal access to this conference for all participants. If you need alternative formats or other reasonable accommodations, please contact mndeedevents@state.mn.us by the close of business on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Virtual Broadband Development Training Series, starts Thursday April 2
OBD has been working alongside other state agencies on streamlining environmental reviews and permitting efforts for broadband infrastructure projects across Minnesota. Originally held in 2024, this April, OBD and state agency partners will offer four new webinar sessions through a revised Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems).
The April 2 session will feature the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and provide an overview of DLI’s involvement with the Safety-Qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer Certification Program.
This session will be recorded and shared on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.
Line Extension Connection Program
Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program. More information and the registration page are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.
For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.
Outreach materials on registration were mailed to over 61,000 locations in the past week. OBD expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds in Spring 2026 and is currently in the process of rolling out awards and getting confirmation of award acceptance from providers for Round 4. Preliminary awards have been published to the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) in Minnesota
OBD continues to update the OBD BEAD webpage as resources are made available. New resources have been added on environmental permitting and the National Environmental Permitting Policy (NEPA) including:
- Grantee Process Map for BEAD Environmental and Historic Preservation Compliance for each NEPA Project Area (PDF)
- MN OBD NEPA Project Area Guidance for Grantees (PDF)
- MN BEAD Program Environmental and Historic Preservation Questionnaire Instructions (PDF)
- MN BEAD Program Environmental and Historic Preservation Project Details Questionnaire (PDF)
- MN BEAD Program Environmental and Historic Preservation Impact Screening Questionnaire (PDF)
DEED Blog: An introduction to the Minnesota Broadband Charter
“The Broadband Charter has become a vital forum for collaboration among state agencies, enabling streamlined permitting processes and improved communication while respecting each agency’s mission. By adding dedicated capacity and fostering partnerships at both state and federal levels, OBD and the Charter are ensuring that broadband infrastructure can be deployed efficiently and effectively – bringing reliable connectivity to every corner of the state.”
Read the full story on the DEED Developments Blog.