Category Archives: Digital Divide

Office of Broadband Development Update July 29 2026: East Central Energy (ECE)

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
  • Upcoming Tribal broadband summit + federal funding opportunities
  • Digital opportunity, community update
  • Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

Minnesota is excited to announce its very first fiber project for BEAD has an executed contract and approved National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) decision memo. This East Central Energy (ECE) Fiber project in East Central Minnesota is expected to serve 3,750 locations:

“Bringing broadband to unserved and underserved communities takes true partnership. We extend our sincere thanks to the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development and DEED for their collaborative approach, responsiveness, and shared commitment to connecting rural Minnesota. Their assistance in helping us finalize and execute our BEAD application was invaluable.” Ty Houglum, Vice President/Chief Information Officer, ECE 

Minnesota BEAD Map with ECE Central Minnesota project.

OBD is continuing to work through required project scope changes and preparing contracts for execution. These scope changes often include removing locations newly identified as already served or re‑awarding locations when providers decline an award. Updated information and resources can be found on the OBD BEAD webpage.

Because the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must approve these project scope changes, the review process can take several weeks. OBD will continue coordinating closely with partners to keep projects moving and to meet the federal contracting deadline of October 8, 2026.

Providers and community members can contact OBD (DEED.broadband@state.mn.us) with questions.

Upcoming Tribal broadband summit + federal funding opportunities

Early bird registration is open for the 2026 NTTA Tribal Broadband Regional Southern Plains Summit, September 21-23 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The summit will look to advance broadband connectivity and digital sovereignty throughout Indian Country and cover topics like data sovereignty, AI & emerging technology, broadband equity & infrastructure, and cultural continuity. More information and registration is available online.

Additionally, NTIA Announced Two New Funding Opportunities to Expand Broadband Connectivity on Tribal Lands. Applications are due September 17, 2026. More information is available on NTIA’s BroadbandUSA webpage including:

Digital opportunity, community update

OBD is actively monitoring developments given the recent federal court ruling impacting the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. At this time, our office has not received updated guidance from NTIA regarding whether Digital Equity funds or related grants may be reinstated.

We understand how important this is to Minnesota. As new information becomes available, OBD will relay updates through this newsletter and on the OBD Digital Opportunity webpage.

As we navigate these ongoing developments together, please feel free to reach out to our office with questions at DEED.broadband@state.mn.us or by phone at 651-259-7610.

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.

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.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

Minnesota ranks 18 for average cost of broadband (highest cost being number 1)

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BroadbandNow has released the results of a recent survey on broadband pricing and today’s budgets. The good news is that most households have not seen a recent price increase. The bad news is that nearly a quarter of those surveyed say the bill stresses their budgets. It’s worth nothing that the survey included 954 adults, but the results are interesting. Here are the highlights:

  • The national average monthly cost for a home internet plan is $81.16. Prices range from $65.43 in New Jersey to $109.88 in Alaska.
  • Though most households have not experienced recent internet service price hikes, nearly 1 in 4 Americans (23%) say internet bills stress their household budgets.
  • 1 in 5 Americans (19%) worry about paying their internet bill each month; that number spikes to 41% among former ACP recipients.
  • Women are nearly twice as likely as men to worry about affording internet service (24% vs. 14%).
  • 1 in 5 households (19%) say their current internet plan doesn’t meet their needs, rising to 28% among former ACP households.

Minnesota ranks 18 for average cost of broadband.

And while I’m looking at BroadbandNow, here’s what they say about Minnesota. (You can learn more about them; their stated goal is to help people compare broadband providers.)

U of M Extension creates AI video to spoof cover crop research

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Back when I did more training on how to assess information on the Internet, I would often use an example from a Minnesota university that was a website that featured a mythical town outside of Mankato where, due to geological anomalies, the weather never went below 70 degrees. It got a lot of attention in 1996 as a great example of “not everything you read online it true.” So, I was tickled to see that University of Minnesota Extension has taken up a similar project in the new era of AI. Ag Week reports…

A YouTube video titled “Scientists Tested 41 Cover Crop Mixes for 6 Years” claims a University of Minnesota research team ran a six-season trial and found one three-species cover crop mix that outperformed every other combination by 210%. The 49-minute video, posted May 6 by a channel called Soil & Centuries, says the team tracked nitrogen transfer rates, mycorrhizal network density and weed suppression across hundreds of thousands of data points.

None of it happened. The study does not exist.

University of Minnesota Extension educators said the video is artificial intelligence “slop” — fabricated content built to draw clicks and advertising revenue. They have reported it, and commented on it, but it’s still up. As of mid-July, the video had more than 36,000 views. It had roughly 11,000 when Extension educators first learned of it.

Here’s the video:

Benton explains the recent ruling of the Digital Equity Act’s race provision as both unconstitutional and severable

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…

On July 15, 2026, Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a decision that could revive a federal grant program the President declared dead more than a year ago. In National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) v. Trump (Civil Action No. 25-3606), the court held that the Digital Equity Act of 2021 contains an unconstitutional racial classification, but that this single flaw does not doom the law. The court concluded that the relevant provision, which directs consideration of “individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group” in awarding grants, can be ignored without impairing the operation of the rest of the statute (in legal parlance, “severed”). Thus, NDIA’s claim to otherwise restore the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program survives, minus any consideration of the race or ethnicity of the people the grant projects serve.

Most importantly for the cities, nonprofits, and digital inclusion practitioners who applied for—and in some cases won—Competitive Grant Program funds: the court relied upon the government’s submission that it would “now commit[] to restoring the Competitive Grant Program upon receiving this judicial determination.”

This is a ruling on the government’s motion to dismiss the entire case, not a final judgment. The court has not ordered the program restored; it has held that the remaining aspects of NDIA’s challenge may go forward. However, the resolution of the constitutional question essentially addresses the government’s stated reason for ending the program.

The article goes on with some history and greater details into the court’s decision; it also shares a practical summary…

A Win, a Loss, or Both?

How you read this ruling may depend on where you sit. For digital equity advocates, the bottom line is real: a federal court rejected the argument that a single constitutional flaw justified scrapping the Competitive Grant Program, and the government has told the court it will restore the program now that a judge has resolved its only stated objection.

But the government may have won something larger than it lost. A federal court has now held that a provision of the Digital Equity Act is unconstitutional—adopting the Administration’s reading of Students for Fair Admissions and finding that Congress supplied no justification that could survive strict scrutiny. The court also accepted that the Executive Branch may decline to enforce a statute it deems unconstitutional while awaiting judicial review. And the government’s commitment to restore the program is a statement in a legal brief, not a court order; the court has not yet granted any relief, and it noted that once the program is reinstated, some or all of NDIA’s claims may become moot. That means the shape of the restored program—its guidelines, its treatment of the seven remaining covered populations, its timeline—will be decided, at least initially, by the same Administration that ended it.

The Digital Equity Act survives. What it looks like in practice is now an open question—one that will be answered as much by NTIA’s next moves as by anything a court has said.

Winona resident speaks out on impact of losing ReConnect funding in their area

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A letter to the Editor at the Winona Post gives a glimpse of what happens on the front lines when funding gets cut…

Living in rural Winona County is great. The people are great. The scenery is great. The internet, however, is not so great. Because my home sits in a valley setting, connectivity is spotty, and my family has long relied on expensive and poorly performing satellite internet. I was excited when I learned of a plan that would bring broadband internet to my rural home as part of the ReConnect project proposed by MiEnergy. Early this year, I met with their consultant to discuss the details of connecting the service. Then, in early March, I received a letter from MiEnergy informing me that the ReConnect broadband expansion had been canceled.

According to MiEnergy, the project had received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture in 2023 and then sat idle for nearly three years awaiting environmental clearance from both USDA Rural Development and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. During that time, costs rose and bids expired, which ultimately resulted in the project’s collapse. Rural communities in southeastern Minnesota were depending on this investment, and we have now been left behind due to inaction that I believe was avoidable.

EVENT July 15: Book Talk: Digital Equity Ecosystems: How Community Coalitions Reduce Inequality and Strengthen Democracy

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An event of possible interest from the NDIA online chat…

Book Talk: Digital Equity Ecosystems: How Community Coalitions Reduce Inequality and Strengthen Democracy

July 15, 2026 from 1:00 PM– 2:00 PM ET

Virtual (Zoom)

Join The Metropolitan New York Library Council for a lunchtime chat with Colin Rhinesmith, author of Digital Equity Ecosystems:How Community Coalitions Reduce Inequality and Strengthen Democracy. Colin, an associate professor and director of the Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will join us to talk about how community coalitions—in which libraries can play an essential role—serve as vital infrastructure to tackle digital inequality and strengthen democracy.

Find more information, including a link to register, here.

The Wireline Competition Bureau pauses the phase-out of Lifeline program support for voice-only services

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The FCC announces…

I. INTRODUCTION

1. In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issues a waiver pausing both the phase-out of Lifeline program support for voice-only services and changes to the Lifeline minimum service standards. As discussed below, we find good cause to pause these adjustments for a year because the Commission is undergoing a rulemaking proceeding that seeks comment on these issues and could result in changes to the Lifeline program.1

II. BACKGROUND

2. In the 2016 Lifeline Order, the Commission revised the Lifeline program to phase-in increasing broadband minimum service standards and phase-out Lifeline support for voice-only service.2 The Commission took these actions with the intent to “avoid undue consumer disruption and to allow Lifeline providers sufficient time to adjust operations as the Commission moves from a primarily voice-only Lifeline program to a Lifeline program embracing broadband services.”3

3. The 2016 Lifeline Order established a three-step schedule by which Lifeline support for voice-only service would be decreased before ending entirely, which so far has led to voice-only support being reduced to $5.25.4 The final step was to be a complete phase-out of Lifeline support for voice-only services on December 1, 2021, when support for such services was to be eliminated in most areas.5 However, the Bureau issued a waiver pausing the phase-out before support elimination occurred due in large part to many Lifeline subscribers’ continued reliance on voice service and has maintained this pause each year since through one-year waiver extensions.6 The most recent waiver is currently still in effect and ends on December 1, 2026.7

4. The Commission also created broadband capacity minimum service standards in the 2016 Lifeline Order effectuated through update mechanisms for the fixed and mobile broadband speed and data capacity standards to provide predictable improvements to these offerings.8 In prior years, the Commission has waived the mobile broadband capacity minimum service standard when it determined that doing so would be necessary to prevent service costs from rising to unaffordable levels.9

5. The Commission is currently considering recommendations to revise certain Lifeline rules in its 2026 Lifeline NPRM, released on February 23, 2026.10 The 2026 Lifeline NPRM launched a comprehensive review of the Lifeline program and seeks comment on support for voice-only service and the minimum service standards and their updated mechanisms.11 In the NPRM, the Commission asked whether it should maintain voice-only service support at the current $5.25 amount and the justifications for doing so, including “[h]ow vital is voice service to consumers’ ability to access public safety resources or to participate in today’s society” and whether these subscribers would be able to fulfill these needs through alternative services.12 The Commission also requested comment on Lifeline minimum service standards, including whether the current minimum service standards meet the needs of Lifeline subscribers, increasing minimum service standards could lead to prohibitively expensive plans or providers leaving the program, update mechanisms should exist, and these mechanisms should update the minimum service standards at set or variable amounts, among other issues.

DISCUSSION

6. The Bureau acts on its own motion to waive the implementation of the phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services and the increase in Lifeline minimum service standards for one year, until December 1, 2027. In evaluating whether good cause exists for waiver of its rules,14 the Commission considers whether the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest.15 The Commission may also take into account concerns of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of policy on an individual basis.16 Waiver of the Commission’s rules is therefore only appropriate if special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule, and such deviation will serve the public interest.17 The Bureau finds good cause to act on delegated authority to waive the Lifeline rules as described herein, as further discussed below.18

7. Careful consideration of how to continue to support a stable and robust affordable communications market through the Lifeline program led to our decision to issue this waiver. This waiver pauses changes to the minimum service standards and voice support phase-out as the Commission develops and analyzes the record in the 2026 Lifeline NPRM. By maintaining the current Lifeline program minimum service standards and support for voice-only service while these programmatic changes are under consideration, this Order prevents potential excessive provider obligations, subscriber confusion, and loss of service that could accompany multiple changes to the minimum services standards in a short period. For these reasons, we find good cause to pause the Lifeline minimum service standards for broadband and the phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services

How the NDIA helped MN Hopkins Digital Access Initiative get people connected

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The National Digital Inclusion Alliance retells a story of helping Hopkins Digital Access Initiative…

On Sunday, January 25, 2026, our executive director Angela received an email with the subject line “Help Needed in Minnesota.” By Monday morning, we were on a call with the leaders of the Hopkins Digital Access Initiative (HDAI) – Rebekah Crosby, Carolyn Leslie, and Beth Kivett – forging a new partnership to address urgent digital inclusion needs in Hopkins, a first ring Minneapolis suburb, a community flooded with ICE and CPB agents.

The tactics employed by ICE and CPB in Minnesota made it unsafe for many Hopkins residents to leave their homes. It echoed of early-COVID lockdowns that left people cut off from their community, wondering how they would continue to work, go to school, feed their families, or do any daily activity. As rapid response resources were organized through websites, Whatsapp and Signal chats, and remote learning platforms, it became clear that digital access is still the linchpin that determines whether a household can receive support in a time of need.

Lesson Learned: Times of crisis put the digital divide in the spotlight. These moments are a powerful reminder that those who have connectivity, access, and skills can remain connected to their community when others cannot, which may mean access to lifesaving medical care, information on how to remain safe in emergencies, critical communication with family and friends, and more vital resources. During prolonged crises, connectivity allows people to participate in faith communities, earn income, maintain social connections, support others, and participate in more activities that contribute to individual and community resiliency.

You can check out the article for the full account, including lessons learned.

Telehealth helps with access to mental healthcare for rural Minnesota’s communities of color – when they have broadband

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A recent publication from the Center for Rural Policy reports…

Rural Minnesota is changing. Across its small towns and open landscapes, people of color are becoming a larger part of the community—some newly arrived from other countries, others whose families have called this region home for generations.

As our previous research has shown (here and here), finding help for mental health concerns can be a struggle for anyone living in rural areas, but it can be even harder for BIPOC residents (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). Whether they are recent immigrants trying to navigate an unfamiliar system or long-time Minnesotans seeking care that understands their experiences, the challenges of finding accessible mental health services that meet their needs remain significant.

This makes access difficult…

While statewide outpatient statistics are not readily available, national evidence shows that rural residents face longer drives to outpatient clinics. The greater distance between communities and the sparse population of smaller towns create adverse economies of scale that increase the cost of providing services. This in turn has led to clinic closures and healthcare consolidation, further squeezing the supply of services over the years as healthcare companies try to keep revenue ahead of expenses. The closures also result in even longer drives to receive services. …

A lack of transportation or public transportation also limits people in rural areas,[3] who are more likely to not have their own vehicles or are unable to drive due to age, income, or disability even as the distances patients need to travel to get services continue to increase. According to a 2024 Minnesota Department of Health report on the state of rural healthcare, rural patients seeking inpatient mental health and chemical dependency treatment must travel three times farther than their urban counterparts.[4]

But while these challenges are tough for all rural families looking for help, they are even greater for people of color.

The report offers several recommendations for improvement, including telehealth for those with adequate broadband…

Telehealth can especially help rural people of color access appropriate, effective mental healthcare, says Terica Toliver, Senior Director of Clinical Therapy at Louisiana-based Iris Telehealth, which provides therapy via telehealth through her contract with ElevaCare in Southwest Minnesota. Telehealth gives people of color a broader range of providers to choose from, including providers who share the same racial and cultural backgrounds.

It’s not a perfect solution, however. Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans don’t have access to the broadband internet service required for telehealth to work reliably,[26] and telehealth isn’t for everyone. Some patients simply don’t feel comfortable talking to a stranger about their mental health on a digital screen.

EVENT July 15: Litigation Update: Minnesota Telecom Alliance v. FCC

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An event hosted by the Federalist Society. on July 15 (2pm in MN)…

Topics:
Civil Rights • Communications & Technology
Communications & Technology Practice Group
  •  Webinar

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s 2023 Digital Discrimination Order, finding the commission exceeded its statutory authority.
The dispute centered on the FCC’s implementation of Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directs the commission to prevent “digital discrimination of access” in broadband deployment and service. In carrying out this statutory mandate, the FCC adopted a disparate-impact framework, under which broadband providers and other entities that impact broadband could face liability for policies or practices that disproportionately affect certain communities without regard to discriminatory intent. The Eighth Circuit concluded that Section 60506 does not authorize the FCC’s disparate-impact regime or regulation of entities other than broadband providers.
Join us for a litigation update on the decision and its implications for broadband deployment, digital equity initiatives, FCC authority, and future efforts to address alleged discrimination in access to broadband service.
Featuring:

  • Dr. Christopher Ali, Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications, Penn State University
  • Jennifer B. Dickey, Vice President and Deputy Chief Counsel, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 
  • Daniel H. Kahn, Partner, Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer, LLP
  • [Moderator] Matthew Furlow, Counsel, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce

 

EVENT July 1: The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation Webinar

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From the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society…

Join the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society on July 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET for a webinar about how affordable, reliable high-speed internet is a foundational prerequisite for participation in modern-day life.

A new paper entitled The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation by Public Knowledge, UnidosUS, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)—the culmination of a multi-year research effort to ensure that the voices of community members are prominently elevated in critical broadband policy debates—centers the lived experiences of those directly impacted by digital inequities.

This webinar, featuring the authors of The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation and leading experts in the digital equity field, will offer ideas for how policymakers can ensure low- to middle-income households across America can gain and sustain access to high-speed, reliable internet, connected devices, and digital skills.

A glimpse at the job of an American Connection Corps Digital Navigator

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society features an article today from an American Connection Corps Digital Navigator. I thought some readers might relate closely to the story and others might benefit from learning about some of the resources…

In our current age, we are all constantly learning, growing, and navigating a rapidly changing digital landscape. This reality has created a growing need for support systems that help people build confidence in the digital world. Ensuring that everyone can participate fully in that landscape requires intentional, community-based resources.

Programs like the American Connection Corps (ACC), an AmeriCorps program of Lead For America, support efforts to expand digital inclusion and bridge the digital divide by activating members to serve in their own communities alongside local organizations. Through this work, they help build the digital connectivity needed to expand opportunity and economic mobility. ACC members collaborate with these organizations to address the digital divide while gaining hands-on professional experience.

During my time as an ACC member, I served as a digital navigator at the Blasco Memorial Library in Erie (PA). We had many regulars who participated in our programs, and one in particular who stands out is Margaret.

How does you MN County rank for broadband adoption?

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Earlier today I wrote about BroadbandClusters.org, it tracks broadband adoption by state, zip and county. Actually, it tracks a number of socioeconomic factors as well, which is helpful but looking at their drivers for broadband adoption, I found that there were two factors that were more technology based:

  • No access to a device
  • Percentage of large screen device

So, I have tracked three things from the research – to make for easy ranking and to help counties figure out what they might be able to change:

  • Weighted broadband Adoption
  • Weighted Large Screen Availability
  • Weighted without Computer/Device

Below the ranking is based on broadband adoption, but I’ve kept the other factors as well. (You can access the spreadsheet.) It’s worth nothing that this is different than broadband access, which I track at the end of the year. These numbers look at how many subscribe to the service.

county rank of broadband adoption Weighted BB Adoption weighted Large Screen Availability Weighted without compute Device
Dakota 1 83.6 92.8 2.6
Washington 2 83.2 93.3 2.3
Anoka 3 83.1 90.8 3.03
Cook 4 83.1 91 1.8
Hennepin 5 82.1 91.4 3.1
Scott 6 81.3 93.2 2.5
Carver 7 81 93.9 2.2
Sherburne 8 79.9 92.4 2.4
Olmsted 9 79.6 91.6 3.4
Winona 10 79 87.6 4.5
Ramsey 11 78.5 88.5 3.7
Big Stone 12 78.3 85.3 6.5
Rock 13 78.1 87.4 4
Beltrami 14 78 85 5.7
Grant 15 77.3 83.9 6.5
Benton 16 77 88.5 4.1
Itasca 17 77 83.5 5.7
Jackson 18 77 81.7 7.4
McLeod 19 77 84.8 6.8
Murray 20 77 88.5 4.1
Nobles 21 77 81.1 6.4
Pennington 22 77 81.8 6
Renville 23 77 80.4 8.7
Stevens 24 75.6 87.5 3
Houston 25 74.5 83.3 6.8
Clay 26 74.2 86.4 4.3
Kittson 27 74.2 82.4 7.9
Crow Wing 28 74.1 87.1 3.6
Norman 29 73.7 81.1 7.5
Lyon 30 73.6 86.5 5.2
Chisago 31 73.5 87.3 4.5
Rice 32 73.5 86.6 4.8
Blue Earth 33 73.4 89.9 3.3
Polk 34 73.4 82.8 5.6
Isanti 35 73.2 85.8 4.5
Lincoln 36 73.2 84 6.3
Red Lake 37 73.2 81.4 9.1
Wright 38 72.9 89.4 3.7
Clearwater 39 72.6 79.4 11.1
Faribault 40 72.5 81.8 7.4
Hubbard 41 72.4 84.3 6.1
Nicollet 42 72.2 86.7 7.1
Stearns 43 72.1 84.7 4.8
Brown 44 71.6 83.6 7.9
Dodge 45 71.5 87.2 5.1
Koochiching 46 71.5 80.8 6.6
Douglas 47 71.4 84.7 4.9
Roseau 48 71.2 79.3 5.8
Pope 49 70.6 85.9 5.7
Steele 50 70.4 84.6 6.7
Goodhue 51 69.6 86.2 5.6
Lac qui Parle 52 69.6 81.3 10
Otter Tail 53 69.5 83.8 6.5
Marshall 54 69.3 79.9 7.8
Cottonwood 55 69.2 81.1 7.2
Fillmore 56 69.2 82.9 9.4
St. Louis 57 69.1 83.7 5.8
Chippewa 58 68.9 79.6 6.6
Lake 59 68.7 84 8.6
Swift 60 68.7 82.2 8.2
Cass 61 68.1 83.4 5.8
Lake of the Woods 62 68 80.1 9.7
Waseca 63 67.3 86.1 6.9
Wilkin 64 67.3 81.5 8.9
Mower 65 67.1 82.6 5.5
Pipestone 66 67.1 83.1 5.8
Yellow Medicine 67 66.9 82.8 7.1
Becker 68 66.8 82 5.3
Wadena 69 66.6 75.7 7.4
Freeborn 70 66.5 81.4 8.1
Mille Lacs 71 66.4 81.8 5.8
Wabasha 72 66.2 82.7 7.4
Kandiyohi 73 65.9 83.7 4.5
Le Sueur 74 65.6 84 5.5
Meeker 75 65.6 82.7 6.7
Morrison 76 64.7 80.9 8.6
Redwood 77 64 82.8 6.8
Traverse 78 63.6 74.3 12.2
Martin 79 62.9 81.3 7.1
Sibley 80 61.4 80.3 6.6
Mahnomen 81 61.1 75.9 8.7
Watonwan 82 60.7 76.2 8.6
Aitkin 83 59.9 80.5 6.4
Carlton 84 58.6 80.9 5.4
Todd 85 53.6 73.7 10.1
Pine 86 52.8 78.8 8.1
Kanabec 87 52.3 78 9.3

 

Broadband Clusters looks at broadband adoption by state, zip and county

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I learned about BroadbandClusters.org from the NDIA listerv. I’m going to follow up (very soon) with a look at the data by county – because I know we all want to know how we are doing locally. But for now, just the overview. Here’s the explanation shared there…

BroadbandClusters, a tool now covering 500+ metros and all 50 states that helps identify which ZIP codes have device and internet adoption gaps.

I wanted to share a few recent updates that I think will be useful to this community:

State-level explorer

I’ve heard from many in the NDIA community asking for better visibility into how rural communities and villages are affected by adoption gaps. The new State Explorer addresses this directly. You can now filter ZIP codes by concentration of seniors, Indigenous residents, veterans, children, race, and more. Set your threshold and only those communities surface, making it easy to compare how they perform against the statewide average.

Here’s the map and information for Minnesota…

I like the last graph and how is shows the correlation between various factors and broadband adoption. Many of the factors are beyond the scope of technology but the top and bottom aren’t. That seems like an area where folks could concentrate if they want to improve broadband adoption.

Continue reading →

New report on impact of broadband access on modern life

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Public Knowledge has released a new study on the impact of digital inclusion and modern life…

This paper by Public Knowledge Broadband Policy Director Alisa Valentin, Ph.D., and UnidosUS Senior Civil Rights Policy Advisor Claudia Ruiz, reveals that affordable, reliable high-speed internet is a foundational prerequisite for participation in modern-day life. Unfortunately, millions remain on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Here are the key findings…

  • Consumers possess a sophisticated understanding of solutions needed to bridge the digital divide, but they face systemic barriers due to policies that prioritize concentrated wealth over community needs. False narratives and associated policies rooted in scarcity have diverted resources away from those who need them most.
  • The digital divide compounds every other challenge struggling households already face. Communities do not face barriers to broadband access and adoption in isolation. Instead, these obstacles intersect with challenges with housing stability, healthcare, employment, and education, which makes it imperative that these issues are addressed in concert with the closing of the digital divide.
  • Past policy approaches to closing the digital divide have failed to center community wisdom. Effective solutions meet people where they are so they are empowered to strengthen grassroots solutions, such as by embedding digital resources in frequently visited places or integrating digital navigation programs in existing areas of community support to meet their needs.
  • The Universal Service Fund must be urgently reformed to provide a robust broadband affordability benefit of approximately $40 (or more if someone is in a high-cost area or living on Tribal lands) that reflects the market costs and the reality of competing costs of household expenses.
  • Network resiliency must be strengthened by shifting high-cost program support toward operational expenses and network hardening.
  • Broadband adoption must be prioritized through sustained federal investment in digital skills, device access, and culturally responsive training and digital navigation programs.