From the Office of Broadband Development…
Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates
- Governor’s Broadband Task Force, November meeting plans
- Register today! Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems)
- Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
- Line Extension Connection Program registration open for residents and businesses
- Broadband in the news
Governor’s Broadband Task Force, November meeting plans
The Broadband Task Force will be meeting on Thursday November 12 at 10 a.m. CT. This meeting will be held virtually and is open to anyone from the public to attend. The Teams link to join the meeting will be included at the top of the meeting agenda.
Information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.
Register today! Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems)
Thursday December 3, 10 a.m. CT, join OBD and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in a new addition to the PLUS webinar series, Untangling Railroad Rights‑of‑Way Disputes in Minnesota. Michelle Rebholz, Supervisor of Economic Analysis (Energy and Telecom) Minnesota PUC, will provide an overview of railroad rights of way disputes in Minnesota and the Public Utilities Commission’s role in the process.
This session will be recorded and posted to the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.
Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
New resources on BEAD from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) include updated BEAD FAQs (10/23/2026).
On September 3, 2026, NTIA announced a new BEAD Supplemental Deployment Policy Notice that introduces an updated process for BEAD implementation of new locations determined to be eligible for BEAD. States await additional guidance from NTIA and anticipate the location list being available sometime in November 2026. Currently, the estimated timeline (subject to change from NTIA) for a second BOB Round is:
Task
Duration
Initial review of the NTIA list 30 days Publication window 7 days Challenge period 30 days Challenge adjudication 30 days NTIA review of the list and set funding amount Duration TBA by NTIA Second Benefit of the Bargain round 90 days NTIA review of Supplemental Deployment Plan 90 days Please contact OBD at DEED.broadband@state.mn.us with questions on the federal BEAD program in Minnesota.
Line Extension Connection Program registration open for residents and businesses
Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of 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 the office at DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.
Broadband in the news
- Pew Research Center’s States Need Broadband Cornerstones to Strengthen Gains and Drive Progress and visit the Tracking the Foundations for Universal Broadband Across States to learn more about cornerstone broadband policies nationally and featuring Minnesota’s progress!
- Benton Institute for Broadband & Society released a new article on NTIA’s New Guidance on the BEAD Supplemental Deployment Round.
Happy belated National Internet Day from October 29! Read more about OBD’s effort to connect communities, policy-makers, providers, regional support organizations, and state and federal programs with each other and the resources they need to improve broadband access and use in Minnesota on OBD’s What We Do webpage.