The Senate Commerce Committee is set to vote Thursday on a bill that would provide short-term funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program as well as the rip and replace program.
Lawmakers had hoped to attach ACP funding to the must-pass Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization that made it out of the chamber on Thursday, but Senate leadership was successful in keeping non-aviation amendments off the bill.
Minnesota State Library Services has some great Digital Equity resources. The following were mentioned in their latest newsletter.
Thursday, May 16, 2024, marks the 13th year of celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). If you’re looking for a way to gain a new perspective on digital access and inclusion, try the No-Mouse Challenge: do work on your computer for 15 minutes without a mouse.
Minnesota IT Services has instructions and a set of handy keyboard shortcuts to get you through it. While you’re there, check out lots of other great resources for creating accessible documents, multimedia, and websites.
And an interesting class…
Telehealth 101 Class: The Doctor Will See You Now
Are people in your community seeking digital access to healthcare and information? Explore the possibilities of telehealth at your library through this new class from the Network of the National Library of Medicine.
Telehealth 101: What libraries need to know (June 10 – July 8, 2024)
This class introduces telehealth, why it’s important, and how it enables people to have greater access to quality healthcare. Explore how different libraries provided patrons in their communities with access to telehealth services.
You will need to create a free NNLM account, but there is no cost to take the course.
An opportunity from Benton Institute for Broadband & Society...
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society (in partnership with the American Library Association, METRO’s Digital Equity Research Center, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance) is researching the work of people who help connect others to broadband. Whether they are called librarians, digital stewards, or digital navigators, they perform a wide range of activities like helping people enroll in low-cost broadband plans, making low-cost computers available, providing digital skills training, or helping people use digital services like telehealth.
If your organization works on these or related issues, please take our survey! The data you provide will help us better understand what you do and will contribute to a report that will recommend strategies to sustain this work beyond the current Digital Equity Act investment.
The survey is available here. Deadline: May 24, 2024. For questions, please email: research@benton.org.
TODAY MARKS THE end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, a landmark piece of US government legislation that aimed to make it easier for people to afford an internet connection in their homes. The program’s end marks a big shift, with the cessation of benefits set to affect millions of Americans who might need them most.
In a Q and A format Wired goes through the basics, starting with what was it…
In 2021, the US Congress passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. It was a massive, ambitious piece of legislation that aimed to shore up a variety of floundering industries, including transit networks, energy systems, and public utilities. The ACP was part of that deal. It set aside $14.2 billion to fund credits that could help low-income households afford high-speed internet. If a family’s household income was below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guideline per year, they were eligible for a $30 monthly credit on their broadband bill. People living on Tribal lands were eligible to receive up to $75.
To what’s happens next…
Unfortunately, any of the families who have been getting the ACP benefit will have to start paying full price for their internet connections—provided they’re able to afford it. If a household’s income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, or if the household claims other government benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, or Social Security, there’s a way to get a similar reduction in internet cost, albeit a much smaller one. The Universal Service Administrative Company offers a service called Lifeline, which can pay up to $9.25 per month for a connection (and up to $34.25 per month for anyone living on qualifying Tribal lands).
The FCC reports on the status of broadband access…
Access to affordable, reliable broadband is essential to full participation in modern life. Consumers rely on both their fixed and mobile connections to work, learn, access health care, and connect with each other. Today, we issue this Report pursuant to our obligation under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, concluding our inquiry into whether “advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.”1 We find that more work remains to ensure that all Americans have access to advanced telecommunications capability.
They are using a new resource…
This Report also represents an important milestone with regard to the data that we use for our inquiry. For the first time, we use data from the Commission’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The Commission’s Section 706 Reports have for many years relied primarily on the FCC Form 477 deployment data to evaluate consumers’ broadband options for fixed and mobile services.3 The BDC data, unavailable for past section 706 inquiries, represent significant improvements over FCC Form 477 data, through the use of more precise location-by-location fixed data, mobile data based on standardized parameters, and the Commission’s ability to improve the data through public challenge processes and conducting verifications and audits of provider-reported data.
Based on our evaluation of the data, we find that our universal service goals for section 706 have not been met, and we therefore conclude that advanced telecommunications capability is not being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion. Most significantly, at present, 100/20 Mbps terrestrial fixed broadband service4 has not been physically deployed to approximately 7% of Americans. Rural areas and Tribal lands significantly trail more urban areas, with approximately 28% of people living in rural areas and approximately 23% of people living on Tribal lands lacking access to 100/20 Mbps fixed broadband services.5 While we expect the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other federal and state programs will narrow these divides in the coming years, at this time, we find that these physical deployment shortcomings are sufficient to warrant a negative finding under section 706 before we even begin to consider our other universal service goals, for which we hope to have more comprehensive data available in future inquiries.
At a high level here’s how Minnesota stands:
| 25/3 Mbps | 100/20 Mbps | 940/500 Mbps | |
| Including Fixed Wireless | 76.5% | 32.1% | 8.3% |
| Excluding Fixed Wireless | 76.1% | 32.3% | 8.3% |
Here are the stats by county
| Pop Evaluated | % with fixed 100/20 | % with mobile 5G-NR 35/3 | % with fixed & mobile | Pop density | Per capita income | |
| Minnesota | 5,717,184 | 94.3% | 88.8% | 85.4% | 71.8 | $44,947 |
| Aitkin County | 16,126 | 69.5% | 48.5% | 38.5% | 8.9 | $32,980 |
| Anoka County | 368,864 | 97.5% | 97.0% | 94.8% | 874.2 | $43,106 |
| Becker County | 35,371 | 81.0% | 49.9% | 44.2% | 26.9 | $38,444 |
| Beltrami County | 46,799 | 99.2% | 54.5% | 54.4% | 18.7 | $32,055 |
| Benton County | 41,463 | 88.4% | 94.1% | 83.1% | 101.6 | $35,885 |
| Big Stone County | 5,144 | 98.9% | 24.3% | 24.0% | 10.3 | $35,797 |
| Blue Earth County | 69,631 | 97.0% | 82.9% | 80.4% | 93.1 | $35,182 |
| Brown County | 25,723 | 94.5% | 72.6% | 70.9% | 42.1 | $35,340 |
| Carlton County | 36,708 | 60.6% | 58.8% | 41.7% | 42.6 | $35,642 |
| Carver County | 110,034 | 98.9% | 99.0% | 98.0% | 310.8 | $55,216 |
| Cass County | 31,274 | 63.7% | 55.3% | 39.9% | 15.5 | $34,505 |
| Chippewa County | 12,284 | 99.1% | 66.4% | 65.9% | 21.1 | $32,772 |
| Chisago County | 57,988 | 76.2% | 92.4% | 72.4% | 139.8 | $41,814 |
| Clay County | 65,929 | 99.3% | 90.1% | 89.9% | 63.1 | $36,586 |
| Clearwater County | 8,649 | 99.2% | 53.3% | 53.0% | 8.7 | $31,879 |
| Cook County | 5,708 | 95.2% | 54.0% | 53.3% | 3.9 | $44,316 |
| Cottonwood County | 11,356 | 88.7% | 76.6% | 71.1% | 17.7 | $32,818 |
| Crow Wing County | 67,948 | 88.2% | 71.0% | 65.6% | 68.1 | $36,878 |
| Dakota County | 443,341 | 99.2% | 99.3% | 98.6% | 788.1 | $48,894 |
| Dodge County | 20,981 | 99.9% | 72.1% | 72.1% | 47.8 | $42,838 |
| Douglas County | 39,668 | 84.6% | 56.2% | 51.2% | 62.3 | $41,889 |
| Faribault County | 13,926 | 86.2% | 49.2% | 43.2% | 19.5 | $35,307 |
| Fillmore County | 21,414 | 86.0% | 63.4% | 58.6% | 24.9 | $35,645 |
| Freeborn County | 30,718 | 99.4% | 70.6% | 70.2% | 43.4 | $36,751 |
| Goodhue County | 48,013 | 94.0% | 73.5% | 71.7% | 63.5 | $40,087 |
| Grant County | 6,136 | 82.2% | 39.1% | 36.7% | 11.2 | $36,750 |
| Hennepin County | 1,260,121 | 99.3% | 99.8% | 99.1% | 2,274.4 | $55,199 |
| Houston County | 18,800 | 84.5% | 49.1% | 46.9% | 34.1 | $39,340 |
| Hubbard County | 21,960 | 92.3% | 56.2% | 52.7% | 23.7 | $36,944 |
| Isanti County | 42,727 | 59.7% | 83.9% | 56.8% | 98.1 | $38,609 |
| Itasca County | 45,205 | 92.8% | 62.3% | 59.4% | 16.9 | $34,528 |
| Jackson County | 9,893 | 95.5% | 56.6% | 54.1% | 14.1 | $37,818 |
| Kanabec County | 16,463 | 27.4% | 59.8% | 25.1% | 31.6 | $33,805 |
| Kandiyohi County | 43,839 | 95.7% | 85.8% | 82.5% | 55.0 | $35,814 |
| Kittson County | 4,059 | 95.2% | 34.0% | 33.9% | 3.7 | $35,565 |
| Koochiching County | 11,844 | 83.1% | 52.0% | 49.2% | 3.8 | $36,515 |
| Lac qui Parle County | 6,689 | 100.0% | 43.7% | 43.7% | 8.7 | $37,520 |
| Lake County | 10,939 | 90.6% | 75.2% | 71.5% | 5.2 | $39,930 |
| Lake of the Woods County | 3,871 | 80.9% | 57.6% | 53.3% | 3.0 | $35,308 |
| Le Sueur County | 29,153 | 98.5% | 78.0% | 77.3% | 65.0 | $41,400 |
| Lincoln County | 5,580 | 99.1% | 41.6% | 41.1% | 10.4 | $35,638 |
| Lyon County | 25,262 | 99.9% | 78.0% | 77.9% | 35.4 | $35,256 |
| Mahnomen County | 5,328 | 71.3% | 38.0% | 32.8% | 9.6 | $24,710 |
| Marshall County | 8,861 | 94.6% | 45.3% | 44.7% | 5.0 | $35,920 |
| Martin County | 19,650 | 98.6% | 62.1% | 61.9% | 27.6 | $35,152 |
| McLeod County | 36,714 | 97.5% | 97.2% | 95.0% | 74.7 | $39,361 |
| Meeker County | 23,496 | 92.9% | 80.5% | 75.5% | 38.6 | $37,233 |
| Mille Lacs County | 27,280 | 81.7% | 76.8% | 65.9% | 47.7 | $33,933 |
| Morrison County | 34,246 | 82.0% | 63.8% | 54.0% | 30.4 | $34,269 |
| Mower County | 40,140 | 98.7% | 75.6% | 75.4% | 56.4 | $33,921 |
| Murray County | 8,060 | 98.8% | 61.3% | 60.8% | 11.4 | $38,783 |
| Nicollet County | 34,441 | 93.0% | 83.4% | 79.2% | 76.8 | $41,658 |
| Nobles County | 21,947 | 96.0% | 79.7% | 77.3% | 30.7 | $29,786 |
| Norman County | 6,377 | 87.7% | 50.2% | 46.9% | 7.3 | $36,245 |
| Olmsted County | 164,020 | 99.1% | 97.5% | 96.9% | 251.0 | $49,799 |
| Otter Tail County | 60,519 | 75.9% | 49.4% | 41.8% | 30.7 | $37,202 |
| Pennington County | 13,845 | 98.7% | 75.0% | 74.4% | 22.5 | $37,342 |
| Pine County | 29,446 | 48.8% | 57.7% | 37.6% | 20.9 | $32,335 |
| Pipestone County | 9,355 | 99.0% | 59.8% | 59.5% | 20.1 | $34,973 |
| Polk County | 30,731 | 99.0% | 66.9% | 66.7% | 15.6 | $34,273 |
| Pope County | 11,431 | 91.6% | 35.0% | 32.7% | 17.1 | $38,905 |
| Ramsey County | 536,413 | 99.6% | 99.9% | 99.5% | 3,523.3 | $43,203 |
| Red Lake County | 3,874 | 94.7% | 62.2% | 61.7% | 9.0 | $35,198 |
| Redwood County | 15,361 | 80.5% | 54.7% | 49.8% | 17.5 | $33,175 |
| Renville County | 14,525 | 97.9% | 61.4% | 60.7% | 14.8 | $34,554 |
| Rice County | 67,693 | 96.4% | 93.5% | 90.5% | 136.5 | $37,050 |
| Rock County | 9,537 | 97.7% | 22.9% | 21.9% | 19.8 | $38,472 |
| Roseau County | 15,292 | 94.8% | 61.3% | 58.8% | 9.1 | $36,125 |
| Scott County | 154,520 | 98.9% | 99.2% | 98.2% | 433.7 | $51,259 |
| Sherburne County | 100,824 | 89.1% | 95.7% | 85.9% | 232.9 | $41,412 |
| Sibley County | 14,955 | 94.6% | 73.1% | 71.3% | 25.4 | $37,919 |
| St. Louis County | 199,532 | 79.2% | 86.3% | 74.0% | 31.9 | $37,850 |
| Stearns County | 160,405 | 92.5% | 95.3% | 88.7% | 119.5 | $36,087 |
| Steele County | 37,398 | 100.0% | 68.8% | 68.8% | 87.0 | $40,146 |
| Stevens County | 9,637 | 98.2% | 24.3% | 24.2% | 17.1 | $38,425 |
| Swift County | 9,755 | 99.2% | 27.4% | 27.2% | 13.1 | $35,595 |
| Todd County | 25,538 | 63.9% | 52.8% | 39.9% | 27.0 | $30,812 |
| Traverse County | 3,275 | 82.3% | 45.5% | 43.3% | 5.7 | $36,023 |
| Wabasha County | 21,658 | 93.7% | 57.9% | 57.3% | 41.4 | $40,471 |
| Wadena County | 14,307 | 99.3% | 36.9% | 36.8% | 26.7 | $28,011 |
| Waseca County | 18,893 | 100.0% | 77.5% | 77.5% | 44.6 | $35,814 |
| Washington County | 275,912 | 94.8% | 97.7% | 93.2% | 717.2 | $54,418 |
| Watonwan County | 11,075 | 100.0% | 76.0% | 76.0% | 25.5 | $34,363 |
| Wilkin County | 6,350 | 84.5% | 63.6% | 58.8% | 8.5 | $38,317 |
| Winona County | 49,478 | 97.1% | 51.7% | 51.1% | 79.0 | $34,889 |
| Wright County | 148,003 | 86.9% | 98.8% | 86.5% | 223.9 | $43,067 |
| Yellow Medicine County | 9,486 | 99.5% | 56.3% | 56.0% | 12.5 | $36,737 |
| Tribal Areas | 39,095 | 78.7% | 41.3% | 31.7% |
And a deep dive into state stats…
Roberto Gallardo and Brian Whitacre haver released a new research report: An unexpected digital divide? A look at internet speeds and socioeconomic groups. It tracks broadband adoption across most of the US based on speeds and compares to census data. Most of their findings are similar to what we’ve been tracking for the last 20+ years, but there was once surprise…
This study attempted to see if existing disparities among demographic groups in terms of home broadband adoption remained when examining performance or internet quality – measured by average download and upload speed tests from Ookla. The analysis uses over 97% of all census tracts in the continental U.S. and accounts for a wide variety of social and technological factors hypothesized to impact broadband speeds. The results were mostly as anticipated, showing that disparities do exist when looking at internet performance or quality. For example, the share of rural residents has a strong negative impact on realized speed, as does the share of residents under the poverty line. These findings contribute to the digital equity literature and provide timely insights to states and territories going through a digital equity planning process. As additional policies and programs are being designed to address digital inclusion issues, recognition of the disparities that specific demographics face in terms of on-the-ground speed (and not simple availability) is an important part of the conversation. In other words, the assumption that certain covered populations require digital equity interventions may need to be revised when looking at the speeds actually experienced by on-the-ground users.
One surprising result is worth discussing further. The fact that white non-Hispanics were associated with slower average download and upload speeds was not expected. According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2021, 80% of whites subscribed to home internet compared to 71% of blacks and 61% of Hispanics (Pew Research Center, 2021). Similar racial and ethnic discrepancies were found in a recent subscription-focused analysis that incorporated a spatial error model like ours (Zahnd et al., 2022). Yet, the analysis here shows that whites were associated with slower download and upload speeds, controlling for other variables known to affect home internet subscriptions. This finding remains when interacting white non-Hispanic percentage with the percentage of the population that is rural. The estimated impact is not overly dramatic: evaluated at other variable means, the expected download speed would be 171 Mbps for a tract with 10% minorities but 181 Mbps for a tract with 90% minorities. Yet, this is roughly the same impact associated with moving from a tract with 40% of the population over the age of 65 to one with only 10%.
This unexpected finding supports other emerging research. Digital equity surveys in Indiana and Missouri found that whites lag or subscribe at the same rate as racial/ethnic minorities when it comes to paying for home internet for all previous 12 months, after controlling for urban and rural locations (Gallardo, 2023; Spell, 2023). In addition, another study that also used internet speeds across 12 states in the southeastern United States found that the share of whites was associated with slower download and upload speeds, after also controlling for urban and rural locations (Gallardo & Whitacre, 2022). Similarly, a recent study using Ookla data found that majority-Black neighborhoods had higher download speeds during the 2019–2021 period, but slightly slower upload speeds (Rodriguez-Elliott & Vachuska, 2023). Lastly, another study found that while fiber-optic broadband—associated with faster download and upload speeds—increased urban and rural home values in Wisconsin, it also decreased the likelihood of homebuyers being white in urban areas of the state (Wolf & Irwin, 2023). This suggests that minority homeowners place more of a value on faster speed availability—at least in urban Wisconsin. This general hypothesis is supported by our research, but for a much broader geography (i.e. the entire continental U.S.).
It is difficult to explain why slower speeds occur in tracts with more white non-Hispanics. One possible explanation is that this demographic may tend to subscribe to slower speeds when compared to nonwhite consumers, despite potentially having faster connections available. This is not testable with our dataset and remains an area for future research. It may also be the case that some areas that have more internet connectivity issues (e.g., rural) and that conduct more speed tests may also have a higher share of white non-Hispanics. A study conducted in the United Kingdom concluded that rural areas had a higher propensity for speed testing due to network performance issues (Riddlesden & Singleton, 2014). However, the fact that the number of speed tests was associated with higher—not lower—speeds does not support the premise that more speed tests are conducted in areas with unreliable or slower service.
Connectivity Trends for Senior Living in the United States (2024-2029), a report by Maravedit, reports…
The U.S. population continues to age rapidly, and this aging boom has a multifold impact on the senior housing industry. Baby Boomers make up an increasingly large share of the senior population and they are living longer and healthier lives than the generations before them. After the heavy drop experienced during the pandemic, senior housing occupancy rates are back to healthier levels. The National Investment Center estimates over 600,000
additional units will be needed by 2029 to maintain the current penetration rate.
Contrary to popular belief, seniors have become increasingly technology-savvy and are enthusiastic internet users. While senior residents continue to consume mainly
linear/cable television, online streaming is on the rise. Seniors also increasingly use mobile applications for banking, video chatting, gaming and engaging with their local community.
As active seniors move around their apartments and common areas, Wi-Fi roaming becomes important to maintain connectivity throughout the property, whether it be independent or assisted living. In short, senior residents’ expectations are rapidly changing.
The senior living industry has its share of challenges. It is marked by staff shortages, increased medical costs and low digitalization. The staff shortages create a domino effect,
leading to an overly taxed workforce and an increase in labor costs. Senior housing leaders are continuously asked to do more with less. This state of affairs represents an opportunity for technology and connectivity to play a vital role in improving operational efficiency through automation and better integration of legacy systems and facility IoT.
For caregivers and administrative staff, managed Wi-Fi is the foundational layer that enables them to serve the residents and better accomplish their duties. Wi-Fi makes it
possible to reduce residents’ isolation while facilitating the staff’s work in senior living.
Video calls, telemedicine, home automation systems — the list of innovations that improve the well-being of senior residents while optimizing the working conditions of care staff is growing.
On March 5, 2024, during the production of this report, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made a statement that may negatively impact bulk-managed Wi-Fi.
This is causing concern and uncertainty among the stakeholders, but it is too early to know the impact.
No matter what the FCC decides, it only makes sense for property operators to invest in a better connectivity experience for their residents and outsource their IT operations and WiFi to specialized managed service providers. We remain bullish that we are only at the
dawn of this emerging sector.
The Minnesota Technology Association is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $285,000 grant from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for technology workforce development. This funding comes as part of a $20 million initiative from DEED to prepare more Minnesotans for in-demand careers. Read more about how MnTech will be leading this initiative for the technology sector in our latest blog post.
Route Fifty reports that losing Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) may cause households to lose broadband access…
Congress and President Joe Biden may have touted that people of all incomes would be able to afford the broadband being built with $42.5 billion from the 2021 infrastructure act. But a decision by lawmakers last week is casting uncertainty on that promise.
The concerns from some state broadband officials stem from the fact that Congress did not include funding to preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, as part of the package of spending bills it passed to avoid a government shutdown.
The Federal Communications Commission has said the program, which provides a $30-a-month subsidy to low-income households to pay for internet access, will now end April 30.
That’s not news. They look at an added dimension of losing ACP too; states have built broadband programs based on providers have access to ACP for their customers…
According to state broadband officials in Michigan, Vermont and Pennsylvania, its termination could not only impact the 23 million households on the program, but also those who live in areas where broadband is being built out.
In Michigan, for instance, the state wants to require broadband companies receiving grants under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program to charge lower-income people no more than $30 a month. Had Congress not ended the program, broadband being created through the BEAD program would have essentially been free for low-income households participating in the ACP.
Minnesota has similar language in their grants – the snippet below is from the most recent Border to Border grant applications…
Grantee and any other service provider for a completed Border to Border Broadband Infrastructure project will participate in federal programs that provide low-income consumers with subsidies on broadband internet access services. Grantee agrees that it will allow eligible subscribers in the service area identified in Grantee’s application in Exhibit B to utilize the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) for the duration of ACP or its successor until the date the Broadband Infrastructure Project funded by this award is no longer in use.
The State has been backed into offering a pig in a poke and applicants are being asked to buy into it. Both are put in a bad position by the end of ACP. We don’t know what a successor program might look like. Will it be attractive enough to allow more people sign up? of recouping costs of building broadband is “take rate” and if it’s too expensive, providers will lose customers and the take rate will be lower. Will it cost providers too much money? And can you start a new venture without knowing the specifics of a segment of your costs and customer base?
Route Fifty concludes…
Eric Frederick, Michigan’s chief connectivity officer, noted in an interview with Route Fifty that about a third of the state’s households who now have internet access rely on that ACP. Without the subsidy, he estimated that a quarter or a third of the households in the areas where broadband service is being built out under BEAD may struggle to afford it.
“Without the subsidy, I know we’re gonna lose folks,” Frederick said. “It’s not going to be affordable.”
An Update from Office of Broadband Development…
Just one week ago, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Minnesota’s Digital Opportunity Plan
This plan outlines the steps the state will take, using a forthcoming NTIA State Digital Equity Capacity Grant, to advance digital opportunities statewide. We’ve appreciated the congratulatory notes that have shown up in our inboxes this past week and want to emphasize: This plan is Minnesota’s plan, and this achievement belongs to us all.
To read the full, approved version of Minnesota’s Digital Opportunity Plan, please visit OBD’s Digital Opportunity website.
In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be updating this page and sharing more information about what our implementation process and timeline look like.
Here’s what we know today:
- NTIA released the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program notice of funding opportunity and application materials on 3/29/24. OBD will submit Minnesota’s application by 5/28/24.
- Capacity grant funds will be doled out to states in three installments. MN will received $12M during this first round.
- NTIA expects to begin awarding funds on a rolling basis beginning no later than 8/28/24.
It was never OBD’s goal to present a digital opportunity plan for Minnesota. Rather, from to onset, OBD has strived to ensure this plan belongs to Minnesota. Thank you for being part of this historical effort and the new opportunities that lie ahead as we work together to better connect all Minnesota residents to opportunities, options, and each other.
My Radio Works reports on Worthington City Council’s view of a bill I’ve been tracking (the MN Equal Access to Broadband Act)…
The Worthington City Council on Monday approved a resolution of support for efforts of the Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Administrators to modernize public, education and government programming and public access funding.
City Administrator Steve Robinson explained that community television in Worthington is funded through franchise fees with local cable television providers. The franchise fees received by the city are based on the number of customers.
As viewing preferences have changed, Robinson continued, many individuals have cut the cable TV cord and turned to streaming services, thereby reducing the fees the city receives to continue to fund Cable 3. Worthington Cable 3 broadcasts city council meetings, as well as many of the high school’s athletic and cultural events and local celebrations.
Current state law does not require alternative streaming companies to compensate cities for use of our public right of way. Two House and Senate bills have been introduced to modernize and provide sustainable funding for community television. One would assess a fee on streaming services, collected by local governments, to fund local public, education and government community television. Another would, in exchange for private use of the city’s public right of way by broadband providers, establish a broadband franchise requirement to generate compensation.
Here’s the latest from the NTIA (spoiler alert, looks like Minnesota could get $12 million in digital equity funding)…
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced approximately $811 million in digital equity funding, including allocations for all 56 states and territories and funding available for Native entities. This funding will empower individuals and communities with the tools, skills, and opportunities to benefit from meaningful access to high-speed Internet service.
This funding from the Digital Equity Act in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is part of the “Internet for All” initiative, a key component of President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda.
Under the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) released today, states and territories can apply for funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to begin implementation of their digital equity plans. These digital equity plans identify the barriers to accessing and using digital resources and establish measurable objectives for promoting access to and meaningful use of broadband technology and advancing digital skills.
“President Biden is committed to ensuring everyone in America has access to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Commerce’s work building high-speed Internet infrastructure is only part of the equation. Families across America need the tools and skills required to make the most of that Internet connection, and that’s the opportunity we’re announcing today. President Biden’s digital equity initiative will make the promise of the Internet come alive for everyone in our country, no matter where they live or what their background is.”
“Today’s announcement marks our nation’s single largest investment in digital equity ever,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communication and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. “This funding will ensure that our seniors, veterans, communities of color, families living below the poverty line, and people living in rural areas have the tools, skills, and devices they need to thrive in the modern digital economy.”
The Internet for All initiative includes three pillars: deployment, equity and affordability. As the Administration moves forward with this vital equity program, President Biden continues to call on Congress to pass legislation that would extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, so tens of millions of households can continue to access this essential program, which enables them to participate in school and access job opportunities, telemedicine, connection with loved ones and more.
Digital Equity Funding Timeline
As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Digital Equity Act provided $2.75 billion to establish three grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion.
Today’s Notice of Funding Opportunity announces the first funding available through the $1.44 billion Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program. This funding opportunity includes funds appropriated for Fiscal Years 2022-2024. Additional funding opportunities will be available in the future.
In 2022, NTIA began awarding $60 million to states and territories from the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program. Since then, all 50 States, D.C., and Puerto Rico have submitted their Digital Equity Plans to NTIA for acceptance, and NTIA continues to review plans. Once an eligible entity’s plan is accepted, it is able to apply to this new funding opportunity announced today.
In the coming months, NTIA will launch the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, which is a $1.25 billion grant program that will make funds available to a variety of entities, including for example, some political subdivisions of states, native entities, nonprofits, community anchor institutions, local educational agencies, workforce development organizations, as well as territories. By statute, the competitive grant program will launch 30 days after NTIA makes its first Capacity Grant Program award.
Funding Overview for the State Capacity Grant Program
About $760 million is available to 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico
Each state’s funding allocation, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, was calculated based on a formula defined in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The formula takes into account the relative population of the state (50%), the relative size of the covered populations residing in the state (25%), and the comparative lack of availability and adoption of broadband (25%).
About $45 million is available to Native entities:
The Capacity Grant program will make $45 million available on a competitive basis to Native entities to promote digital inclusion and broadband adoption efforts for their communities. This includes over $3 million for digital equity planning activities and $42 million for related projects. The Digital Equity Act requires that no less than 5% of award funds be available to Tribal governments and Native entities.
About $8.4 million is available to territories:
The Digital Equity Act includes a set aside of no less than 1% of available award funds for the remaining territories: American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands. This NOFO includes a set aside of $8.4 million, split equally among those four territories.
State Digital Equity Tentative Allocation Amount Alabama $13,702,566.00 Alaska $5,631,769.64 Arizona $16,170,760.44 Arkansas $10,161,429.01 California $70,226,453.82 Colorado $12,368,261.03 Connecticut $9,183,114.07 Delaware $4,816,482.10 District of Columbia $3,804,000.00 Florida $41,748,794.74 Georgia $22,455,639.68 Hawaii $6,017,160.03 Idaho $6,305,226.45 Illinois $23,732,912.78 Indiana $15,096,770.19 Iowa $8,442,129.37 Kansas $8,229,246.17 Kentucky $12,123,531.39 Louisiana $12,727,887.98 Maine $5,784,349.60 Maryland $13,427,134.17 Massachusetts $14,133,924.00 Michigan $20,585,775.60 Minnesota $12,033,288.01 Mississippi $10,752,090.73 Missouri $14,237,940.09 Montana $6,938,534.64 Nebraska $6,500,627.76 Nevada $9,200,546.13 New Hampshire $4,942,018.62 New Jersey $18,094,857.62 New Mexico $8,673,975.84 New York $36,984,641.81 North Carolina $22,456,097.01 North Dakota $4,549,772.25 Ohio $23,291,991.74 Oklahoma $11,233,311.64 Oregon $9,947,586.17 Pennsylvania $25,508,473.61 Rhode Island $4,540,059.53 South Carolina $12,846,583.30 South Dakota $5,010,234.08 Tennessee $15,814,288.00 Texas $55,641,147.86 Utah $7,795,149.91 Vermont $5,299,150.18 Virginia $18,330,732.47 Washington $15,983,291.58 West Virginia $9,011,588.00 Wisconsin $13,248,029.83 Wyoming $5,251,485.99 American Samoa $2,100,000.00 Guam $2,100,000.00 Northern Mariana Islands $2,100,000.00 Puerto Rico $9,807,187.39 U.S. Virgin Islands $2,100,000.00
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…
Today we are releasing our latest version of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Enrollment Performance Tool, which updates data through February 2024. We introduce a new feature in this version—the ACP Risk Score for each zip code included in the tool. This score indicates the degree to which households in a given zip code are at risk of losing or reducing internet connectivity should the ACP benefit lapse. A high score (on a scale of 0 to 100) is a sign that households in that zip code may be more likely to lose internet connectivity than households in areas with a lower score. If a zip code area has a risk score above 70, it stands a good chance of having its households face significant disruption from ACP’s demise. Losing connectivity could mean giving up home internet service completely or choosing between having a wireline or wireless subscription plan.
I checked my own zip code and was a little surprised at the results. I live in St Paul between three private universities. (I was a little surprised that only 88 percent have wireline broadband.) The info Benton provides helps create a localized digital equity plan. Where are the holes? Do you need to work on getting computers to folks? Or multilingual technology training? Would your community benefit from senior tech training? Will people need help paying for broadband when ACP discontinues?
MN DEED reports…
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced Minnesota’s Digital Opportunity Plan has been accepted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The acceptance means the state is now eligible for federal grants to implement the plan, which will help reduce gaps in internet adoption, and expand digital skills and digital technology access.
“Minnesota is a leader in delivering broadband, and we continue to expand service to underserved and unserved areas throughout the state,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “As our Digital Opportunity Plan illustrates, we are equally committed to ensuring every Minnesotan has the tools and skills needed to harness the full power of broadband and reap the benefits of a digital economy.”
“Broadband is an essential economic development tool that helps Minnesota communities grow and thrive, gain workers and support business vitality,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development Kevin McKinnon. “The Digital Opportunity Plan complements the state’s ambitious broadband connectivity plans to ensure digital equity statewide.”
The Digital Equity Act, part of the Internet for All initiative and a key piece of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, provides $2.75 billion to establish three federal grant programs – the State Digital Equity Planning Grant, Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Digital Equity Competitive Grant – that promote digital equity and inclusion.
DEED’s Digital Opportunity Plan, produced by the Office of Broadband Development (OBD), details how Minnesota will use its Internet for All grant funding to expand digital access. Minnesota identified the following objectives:
- Establish a Digital Opportunity Leaders Network to coordinate and support digital opportunity initiatives regionally and statewide;
- Expand OBD’s public data and mapping tools to include digital opportunity measures;
- Prepare reports exploring models for: (1) a statewide tech helpline; (2) state-level broadband affordability programs; and (3) a state-managed system for loaning large-screen devices long-term to Minnesotans with low vision;
- Partner with state offices serving people at high risk for digital exclusion;
- Coordinate with Internet Service Providers to support newly-connected households needing education and resources; and
- Administer targeted grants to support: (1) local and tribal governments preparing their own digital opportunity plans; (2) community partners piloting positions focused on trust-based digital opportunity work; (3) small businesses improving technology access; and (4) local and tribal governments improving web accessibility.
Last year, OBD spent several months developing its initial Digital Opportunity Plan to submit to NTIA. OBD held public meetings in 16 cities across Minnesota and two online meetings to gather public feedback on its plan to reduce gaps in broadband access, digital technology ownership and digital skills.
“We are thrilled and honored to have our plan accepted by NTIA and we are extremely grateful to the state and community leaders and countless Minnesotans who supported the plan’s development and provided feedback at our statewide public meetings or online,” said OBD Executive Director Bree Maki. “The feedback and support were essential not only to ensure our plan would be approved, but also that it would provide Minnesotans with the tools, resources and skills needed to achieve their digital technology goals. We are pleased that we can now move forward on implementing this plan as we work to connect people to people, connect people to information and connect people to resources.”
Earlier this month, DEED announced $53 million in grants to expand broadband to 8,900 Minnesota homes and businesses. DEED is now accepting applications for another $50 million grant round for broadband infrastructure expansion.
In addition to federal digital equity grants, DEED will also manage $652 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access and Development (BEAD) Program funding to expand broadband to the most unserved and underserved Minnesotans.
An invitation from Benton Institute for Broadband & Society...
From Fear to Confidence: Women’s Journeys Toward Digital Equity
Join us on April 9th at 1 PM ET for an online discussion about the digital adoption journeys of low-income Black/African American and Latina women. By centering the voices and experiences of these often overlooked groups, we will provide actionable insights for states, local agencies, and digital equity practitioners to improve digital inclusion efforts for women.
Norma E. Fernandez—CEO of EveryoneOn and Marjorie and Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow—will present her research based on in-depth interviews and surveys with Latina and Black/African American women in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee. Norma set out to understand what drives underserved women to adopt broadband and develop their digital skills, and the barriers and support they encounter on their way. She found not just the practical benefits of digital skills training, but also profound personal transformation and self-empowerment.
In a panel moderated by Dr. Revati Prasad, Vice-President of Programs at the Benton Institute of Broadband & Society, speakers will include:
- EveryoneOn CEO Norma E. Fernandez has spent the past 12 years fostering digital equity. EveryoneOn is a national digital inclusion organization that since 2012 has connected over 1 million people to affordable high-speed internet, distributed over 6,000 devices, and trained over 4,500 people in digital skills in the last three years.
- Aneta Thomas Lee—Visiting Assistant Director for Digital Equity, Inclusion, and Navigation at the Illinois Broadband Lab—has spent the last decade working on bridging the digital divide from Alabama to Georgia. She has worked in a wide range of organizations including EveryoneOn, Inspiredu of Atlanta, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and the Microsoft Airband Initiative.
- Mamacitas Ciberneticas Founder Maria Chapparo, works with community partners to improve access to affordable, efficient broadband in underserved communities in Dona Ana, New Mexico.
Together, panelists will reflect on the needs, perspectives and possibilities for low-income women embarking on a journey of digital transformation.
Blandin on Broadband 
