Category Archives: MN Office of Broadband Development

BEAD Rollout: Next Steps & Insights: Meeting notes and video

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Here’s a recording from the webinar yesterday from NRTC…

A description of the session from the hosts…

Join us for an in-depth session with state broadband office directors who will demystify the critical steps leading up to executing BEAD grant agreements, and how NEPA permitting and pre-award spending authorization fits into their state’s timeline. This webinar will provide a clear roadmap of the chain of events and required documentation to ensure compliance and timely execution.

Featured Panel:

  • Teresa Ferguson – (moderator) Senior Director, Broadband & Infrastructure Funding – NRTC
  • Dr. Tamara Holmes – PHD, Broadband Director – DHCD Office of Broadband, Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development
  • BJ Tanksley – Director, Office of Broadband Deployment – Missouri Department of Economic Development
  • Bree Maki – Executive Director – Minnesota Office of Broadband Deployment, MN Dept. of Employment & Economic Development

And some notes I took, mostly when Bree Maki spoke about the situation in Minnesota…

Guidance to awardees

  • Letter of credit
  • Supply Chain Rick Mgmt plan
  • Cybersecurity Risk Mgmt plan
  • Final BSL & CAI Count
  • PM Stamp for Network Design
  • Finalize Budget

For MN

  • Work on narrative
  • Work on budget
  • Don’t start anything
  • Wait on guidance – this will be different that former MN awards
  • Will have a meeting soon

EVENT DEC 2: NRTC BEAD Rollout: Next Steps & Insights Webinar

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The NRTC is holding a webinar tomorrow that comes highly recommended. Bree Maki, director of the MN Office of Broadband Development is on the panel…

BEAD Rollout: Next Steps & Insights

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Join us for an in-depth session with state broadband office directors who will demystify the critical steps leading up to executing BEAD grant agreements, and how NEPA permitting and pre-award spending authorization fits into their state’s timeline. This webinar will provide a clear roadmap of the chain of events and required documentation to ensure compliance and timely execution. Our Host and Panelists Teresa Ferguson – Senior Director, Broadband and Infrastructure Funding – NRTC Dr. Tamara Holmes – PHD, Broadband Director – DHCD Office of Broadband, Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development BJ Tanksley – Director, Office of Broadband Development – Missouri Department of Economic Development Bree Maki – Executive Director – Minnesota Office of Broadband Deployment, MN Dept. of Employment & Economic Development We hope to see you there!

Did your county get any of the $20 million in MN Line Extension grants in the last three rounds?

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Congrats to the counties who have done well getting Line Extension grants. Congrats to the counties who don’t need them. For counties who need help getting better broadband and haven’t been getting Line Extension funding, here’s more information.

The numbers for Line Extension awards by county are now available for the three rounds that have been awarded. For those you don’t wake up Monday looking for the latest updates on MN broadband, I’ll start with a little reminder. Line Extension is a broadband support managed by the Office of Broadband Development. Info on how it works from the Office of Broadband Development…

Residential and business locations that are unserved (lack access to speeds of at least 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload) can apply by entering their information into the Line Extension Connection portal*. This will initiate their interest in receiving broadband internet service and make their location available for consideration. By submitting your address into the Line Extension Connection portal, internet service providers will have the opportunity to review the location and submit a bid based on the cost to bring service to your location. The Office of Broadband Development will evaluate these bids and required provider documentation and make awards to the providers whose bid proposes the lowest cost to the State for extension of the service.

It helps fill in holes in a community where there’s one household that two miles off the road or maybe the six houses on the “other side” of the lake. In light of promise of federal BEAD funding, Line Extension has been the only focus of state funding for broadband this year.

The Office of Broadband has recently shared updated number of how much each county has received. (You can download the spreadsheet for more information.)

Over three rounds, $20,314,363.07 has been awarded. Below are the grant total awards in order of the amount received by county. A few quick notes: not every county has received awards, because not every county needs the help. (At least 10 MN counties have more than 99 percent broadband coverage, as of last year.) Even in this list, the need is variable. You can learn more about the next round of Line Extension grants from the Office of Broadband Development.

County Grand Total (Dollars)
Becker 2850601.5
St. Louis 2619282.61
Crow Wing 2455450.17
Todd 1943261.7
Wabasha 1182818
Morrison 946640
Pine 735691.19
Mahnomen 722588.48
Aitkin 689620.88
Washington 680789
Wright 603805.31
Winona 472220
Scott 410871.52
Otter Tail 384714.84
Kandiyohi 378273.28
Meeker 318997.39
Dakota 283639.8
Hubbard 265000.94
Anoka 246223
Jackson 200561.6
Clay 200522.72
Hennepin 198769
Stearns 144480
Le Sueur 127288.13
Itasca 126357.54
Cass 97449
Rice 85860.66
Carlton 75958.79
Lyon 75474.94
Yellow Medicine 75474.94
Dodge 73944.5
Renville 72395.54
Mower 71966.49
Carver 65664
Swift 59800
Goodhue 59393.27
Douglas 46361.52
Redwood 41853.6
Lake of the Woods 41427
Big Stone 35000
Lac qui Parle 29000
Chippewa 25500
Martin 23220.72
Sherburne 22482.03
Stevens 20000
Kittson 16375.07
Cottonwood 11292.4

 

Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance Meeting: Federal look at BEAD from Gigi Sohn

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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.

OBD Updates Nov 19, 2025: Line Extension bids due Nov 25, 2025

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • BEAD updates
  • Line Extension Connection Program update + bids due 1:30pm 11/25/25
  • Broadband Task Force, November meeting recap
  • National Rural Health Day, celebrating the power of rural!
  • Broadband in the news

BEAD updates

This week, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the approval of 18 Final Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Although Minnesota was not included in the first tranche, its plan remains on track for approval by December 4, 2025, consistent with NTIA’s 90-day review timeline. Submitted on September 4, the plan is currently in the “curing” stage, during which NTIA requests adjustments or clarifications. The 90-day review period ends on December 4, and approval is expected on or around that date.

Continue to watch for updates! The OBD BEAD webpage will be undergoing changes, along with new and additional resources being added.

Line Extension Connection Program update + bids due 1:30pm 11/25/25

The Round 4 Line Extension bidding window opened, September 26, 2025 and bids are due by 1:30pm CST on November 25, 2025. 
OBD expects the round to have $3.5M in Capital Projects Fund (CPF) dollars available to grant. Information and resources on Line Extension are posted to the OBD Line Extension Connection Program webpage. OBD also expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds.

While the window for residential and business sign-ups to be included in the bidding for Round 4 of the Line Extension Connection Program has closed, registration will remain open for future rounds if and as funding is available.

Questions on Line Extension can be sent to deed.broadband@state.mn.us or (651)-259-7610.

Broadband Task Force, November meeting recap

The Governor’s Task Force on Broadband met virtually on November 13 and heard a presentation from Digitunity. Executive Director, Scot Henley, and Senior Director of Programs & Strategic Partnerships, Karisa Tashijan, shared on their work increasing computer ownership and a methodology for a sustainable computer ownership ecosystem, as well as components of supply, preparation and deployment. Thank you to Digitunity to presenting!

More information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

National Rural Health Day, celebrating the power of rural!

November 20, 2025 recognizes National Rural Health Day, which is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the resiliency of rural healthcare providers, communities, organizations, and other partners dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of Americans who live in rural communities. Minnesota’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) has more information on how to get involved and learn more on their webpage.

A 2025 Rural Health Care in Minnesota Chartbook is also available online as a resource for data on rural Minnesota’s health care system, workforce, availability of services, use, and financing. Additional data from the ORHPC includes a 2024 Telehealth Spotlight, with results from telehealth workforce surveys about providers, patients, and services. 

Broadband in the news

MN Office of Broadband Development Performance Report for 2025

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Being honest, I’m not sure when the MN Office of Broadband Development Performance Report for 2025 came out, but it seems to cover what’s been budgeted as well as what’s been spent. Here’s the purpose form the report itself…

This report details the State of Minnesota’s use of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF) allocation. The State’s goal with the CPF investment is to expand broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved communities through three broadband infrastructure grant programs and one community facilities grant program. The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) administers the broadband infrastructure programs, and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) administers the Community Facilities program.

And key findings…

Key Outcomes and Opportunities Broadband projects that have been administered utilizing CPF dollars are expected to reach a total of 31,732 passings across the state.

In the dates covered by this report, OBD has processed reimbursements and administered project costs of $29,020,361.20 in grants through B2B, $19,055,545.37 in grants through LD, and $3,244,240.68 through LE. COMPLETION STATUS ACROSS 94 OBD PROJECTS Completed Projects More than 50% complete Less than 50% complete Not started 1 project 11 projects OBD rolled out the third round of Line Extension, which awarded $7,554,872.31 to 16 providers and will serve 1,087 previously unserved locations in Minnesota. OBD plans to use funds from earlier rounds of B2B, LD, and LE projects, that completed under budget to re-roll out a fourth round of Line Extension Fall 2025. See Budget Modification for details.

Key outcomes across the state with broadband projects include:
• Most recent mapping data from December 2024 (Minnesota’s State Program Dashboard) shows the state of Minnesota is overall, 90.32% served (with speeds of at least 100 by 20 Mbps), 7.33% unserved, and 2.36% underserved for wireline service.
• Local partners matched in funding CPF Line Extension Rounds 1 through 3 a total of $5,069,552.87
• Combined total local matching funds for all CPF projects is projected around $151 million

As well as use of funds

OBD Programs
The following table captures the expenditures for the reporting period. CPF dollars have been spent on
administrative costs, which include contracting with grantees, compiling progress reports, monitoring
site visits, compiling progress reports, federal reporting and on-site field validations, as well as infrastructure project costs. Of the total CPF dollars allocated to the state in the amount of $180,702,620.00, OBD has reported total expenditures through FY 2025 of $69,475,144.63 or about 38% of state funds.
FY25 Minnesota Office of Broadband Development CPF funding

Budget Modification
OBD requested and gained approval of a net zero budget modification, increasing the LD and LE budgets, and decreasing the B2B budget to cover the following cumulative budget changes of $1,287,927.00.

The budget modifications were completed to align grant balances with legislative directive and to adjust project funding from the original budget. The modification reflected the opportunity OBD saw in the higher demand for LD and LE, via interest and higher applications, from unserved Minnesotan residents and businesses.
As B2B, LD and LE grants close with unspent funds, OBD plans to regrant out LE funding and will complete budget modifications for any B2B and LD with remaining balances, moving the funding over to the LE program. OBD plans to open a Round 4 LE in the fall of 2025 to utilize these funds prior to 12/31/2026 use of funds deadline.

Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program (B2B) and Lower Population Density Pilot (LD) Program
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in Minn. Stat. 116J.395 in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Sec. 604 Capital Projects Funds (CPF).

Round 7 B2B: Among the active projects: 2 grants are 65%-75% complete, 19 grants are 80% to 99% complete and 4 grants are 100% complete. There are 19 field validations that will occur by fall 2025.
Reimbursements to grantees for FY25 were $29,020,361.20, bringing the reimbursement total to 43.4%
of the total $66,901,598.00 obligated funds.
Round 8, B2B and LD: Among the active B2B projects: one grant is 1% complete, one grant is 70% complete, and one grant is 83% complete. Of the active LD grants, one grant is at 25% complete, one grant is 60% complete, 3 grants are 75-83% complete, and 2 grants are at 90% complete. Many of these will be ready for field validations in the fall 2025. Reimbursements to grantees for FY25 were
$19,055,545.37, bringing the reimbursement total to around 42.9% of the total $44,453,612.00 obligated funds.

Broadband Line Extension (LE) Connection Program
In the 2022 Legislative Session, the Minnesota OBD was directed to create a new program, the Broadband Line Extension Connection Program. The purpose of the program is to award grants for the extension of existing broadband infrastructure to unserved locations. An unserved location is a location that does not have a wired broadband service of at least 25Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. See Appendix B for the summary table of LE projects and below for a status summary.

Round 1 (LE): Construction is complete for all 19 projects. Completion was due by December of 2024. As of 6/30/2025, 17 grants are closed, and 2 grants are pending close. Reimbursements to grantees for FY25 were $2,282,165.48; bringing the reimbursement total to 70.5% of the total $3,238,849.14 obligated funds.
Round 2 (LE): Construction is completed on all 13 projects. Completion was due by June of 2025. As of
6/30/2025, 5 grants are closed, and 8 grants are pending close. Reimbursements to grantees for FY25 were $962,075.20; bringing the reimbursement total to 21.7% of the total $4,430,273.51 obligated funds.
Round 3 (LE): Construction for all 16 projects is to be completed by December 2025; As of 6/30/2025, 7 grants are under 50% completed and 9 are over 50% completed, with 4 of those grants pending close.
No reimbursements have been made to these grantees as of 6/30/2025.

Office of Broadband Update Oct 22: Task Force Meeting, Line Extension and BEAD updates

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The Office of Broadband Development reports…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband Task Force, October meeting recap
  • Line Extension Connection Program update
  • BEAD updates
  • OBD in the news

Broadband Task Force, October meeting recap

The Broadband Task Force met on Wednesday October 15 in Clearwater, Minnesota at the TelCom Construction (TCC) Training Facility. The Task Force heard presentations from TCC leadership on their training programs and got hands on experience with equipment demonstrations. Thank you TCC for hosting and sharing their facility and expertise!

More information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Line Extension Connection Program update

The Round 4 Line Extension bidding window opened, September 26, 2025.

OBD expects the round to have $3.5M in Capital Projects Fund (CPF) dollars available to grant. Information and resources on Line Extension are posted to the OBD Line Extension Connection Program webpage. OBD also expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds.

While the window for residential and business sign-ups to be included in the bidding for Round 4 of the Line Extension Connection Program has closed, registration will remain open for future rounds if and as funding is available.

Questions on Line Extension can be sent to deed.broadband@state.mn.us or (651)-259-7610.

BEAD updates

As required by the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Minnesota OBD submitted its Final Draft Proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), including the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, on September 4, 2025. NTIA has committed to review and approve plans in 90 days.

OBD will continue to revise and update the documents as required by NTIA and as is necessary to ensure all BEAD eligible locations are served as defined by the policy notice. 

Updated and additional information will be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.

OBD in the news

Pictured above: Moderator Kevin Sievert (Senior Manager, Broadband Funding) and panelists, Derrick Owens (Sr. VP of Government & Industry Affairs, WTA), Bree Maki (Executive Director, Minnesota Office of Broadband Development), and Marissa Mitrovich (VP, Public Policy FBA).

Earlier this week, OBD staff attended ConneXions 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. OBD’s Executive Director Bree Maki spoke on the panel, the State of Bead. The panel discussed how state offices and internet services providers have navigated the BEAD program’s changes, integrated the new rules into programs, and plan for completion.

Director Maki was also featured on season 6, episode 50 of the Connected Nation podcast, titled Connecting the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The episode, which covered connecting Minnesotans to broadband, can be streamed here.

EVENT October 15: MN Broadband Task Force Meeting in Clearwater MN

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Looks like the next Task Force meeting is on the road…

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband

October 15, 2025

10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

 16643 County Road 75 Clearwater, MN 55320

TelCom Construction Training Facility

 

  • 10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Welcome
    Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband
  • 10:05 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.  Approval of minutes from September Task Force Meeting
  • 10:10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  TelCom Construction Presentation and Facility Tour
  • 11:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. Break
  • 11:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.               Office of Broadband Development Overview Bree Maki, Executive Director, OBD
  • 11:55 a.m.— 12:25 p.m.              Subgroup Work Sessions
  • 12:25 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.               Other Business, November’s Meeting Plans, Wrap-up

Office of Broadband Development Updates Oct 8: Conferences. Line Extension and BEAD Updates

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband in the news
  • Line Extension Connection Program update
  • BEAD updates
  • Broadband Task Force, October meeting plans

Broadband in the news

OBD Executive Director, Bree Maki (pictured above) on the panel, The Future of Broadband Policy & BEAD Program Implementation at the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) TechExpo25.

More mentions of BEAD in the news include Broadband Breakfast’s story on States race to meet federal broadband funding deadline and the Fierce Network’s States feel pressured to hurry up with new BEAD rules.

Bree Maki and OBD’s new Broadband Environmental and Land Use Coordinator, Megan Messerole, presented at the Minnesota Telecom Alliance 2025 Fall Conference. The event focused on key issues impacting the telecommunications industry, and Megan shared on her new role in working with internet service providers on navigating permitting processes for both state and federally funded broadband projects.

Line Extension Connection Program update

The Round 4 Line Extension bidding window opened, September 26, 2025.

OBD expects the round to have $3.5M in Capital Projects Fund (CPF) dollars available to grant. Information and resources on Line Extension are posted to the OBD Line Extension Connection Program webpage. OBD also expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds.

While the window for residential and business sign-ups to be included in the bidding for Round 4 of the Line Extension Connection Program has closed, registration will remain open for future rounds if and as funding is available.

Questions on Line Extension can be sent to deed.broadband@state.mn.us or (651)-259-7610.

BEAD updates

As required by the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Minnesota OBD submitted its Final Draft Proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), including the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, on September 4, 2025. NTIA has committed to review and approve plans in 90 days.

OBD will continue to revise and update the documents as required by NTIA and as is necessary to ensure all BEAD eligible locations are served as defined by the policy notice.

Updated and additional information will be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.

Broadband Task Force, October meeting plans

The Broadband Task Force will be meeting on Wednesday, October 15 from 10am-12:30pm in Clearwater, MN at a TelCom Construction Training Facility. This meeting will be held in-person and is open to anyone from the public to attend.

Information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Conference discussion on the trials and tribulations of BEAD applications and processing

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More notes from the  SCTE TechExpo, this time from Route Fifty talking about trials and tribulations of BEAD applications and processing. There were remarks from the NTIA…

States are on track in submitting and finalizing their plans on how to spend their share of $42 billion meant to expand internet access, the federal official in charge of the program said this week.

Arielle Roth, the administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information, said she is “pleasantly surprised” at the progress states are making on their revised final plans for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

And from the state level from Minnesota…

Minnesota’s Executive Director of Broadband Development Bree Maki noted that the state received bids to serve 52,000 of its 76,000 eligible locations. Leftover money remains a key point of intrigue, however. Sandfoss said states are all “wondering what’s next for the remaining funds,” and hopeful of getting projects moving through the complex permitting process.

“I think the harder part for us is the stuff that we can’t control: the pole attachments, railroad crossings, those kinds of issues that aren’t as cut and dry as getting a state agency to approve a historic preservation review,” she said.

There are indications that the federal government wants to make permitting easier, especially through what can be arduous and yearslong project reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. Maki said Minnesota’s broadband office has hired an archaeologist to help with the latter.

Office of Broadband Development Update Sep 24, 2025: BEAD mapping and Line Extension

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Mapping + data updates for providers
  • BEAD updates
  • Line Extension Connection Program update
  • OBD in the field
  • Broadband Task Force, September meeting recap

Mapping + data updates for providers

Reminder for internet service providers!

The Office of Broadband Development, in partnership with our mapping vendor, Connected Nation, does perform a Fall update to the broadband coverage in Minnesota that is published on the interactive map at the end of the year. Because a busy construction season is wrapping up and we are planning to offer a fifth grant round of Line Extension at the new year, OBD wants to remind all providers that this data collection is the major mapping update for the Minnesota Broadband map. If you have completed construction of a broadband project since your last mapping data submission to Connected Nation in Fall 2024, please take this opportunity to have that updated coverage information included in this annual mapping update.

The deadline for submitting coverage information for this effort is Thursday October 2, 2025.

If you have questions about submitting coverage data, or didn’t receive outreach from Connected Nation, feel free to contact the Office of Broadband Development by email at deed.broadband@state.mn.us or by phone at (651)-259-7610.

BEAD updates

As required by the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Minnesota OBD submitted its Final Draft Proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), including the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, on September 4, 2025. NTIA has committed to review and approve plans in 90 days.

OBD will continue to revise and update the documents as required by NTIA and necessary to ensure all BEAD eligible locations are served as defined by the policy notice.

On September 22, NTIA released for the first time in writing the following cost thresholds for the BEAD program. The percentile is based off of the cost estimate that NTIA has determined. Every state has different numbers based on NTIA’s decisions and Minnesota’s federally determined cost thresholds are as follows:

  • 65-85th percentile, $10,000 to $20,000 per BSL – provider needs additional explanation for cost
  • 85th to 85th plus 15%, $20,000 to $23,000 – possibility for extraordinary circumstances to be explained by provider and try to get price under $20,000
  • Over 85th plus 15% percentile, $23,000 – providers have 72 hours to renegotiate price

Updated and additional information will be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.

Line Extension Connection Program update

After the location addresses were posted for review on September 15 and challenges are submitted by September 24, the Round 4 Line Extension bidding window will open September 26, 2025.

OBD expects the round to have $3.5M in Capital Projects Fund (CPF) dollars available to grant. Information and resources on Line Extension are posted to the OBD Line Extension Connection Program webpage. OBD also expects to run a fifth round of Line Extension with state project funds.

Questions on Line Extension can be sent to deed.broadband@state.mn.us or (651)-259-7610.

OBD in the field

Commissioner Ida Rukavina of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and OBD Executive Director Bree Maki at the State of the Range event.

OBD has been busy attending events statewide like the Broadband Public Alliance meeting, Association of Minnesota Counties annual meeting, State of the Range (pictured above), and Minnesota Cable Association reception to provide updates on state broadband programs and BEAD in Minnesota.

Since August, OBD staff have gone on over 15 site visits for Mediacom, Savage Communications, Inc (SCI), Gardonville, Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC), Arvig, Acentek, Harmony/MiEnergy/MiBroadband, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative (MLEC), East Central Energy (ECE), Johnson Telephone Company, Frontier, Benton Communications, Meeker, and Lismore projects.

Pictured below: Trucks hauling and installing main line fiber conduit at a Round 10 site visit for an Acentek project in Canton Township. 

Broadband Task Force, September meeting recap

The Broadband Task Force met on Monday September 22. The Task Force heard presentations from Communication Service for the Deaf on their programs and work for individuals in the deaf and hard of hearing community, and state speed goal updates from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Thank you to presenters for sharing their time and expertise!

More information on this and past meetings can be found on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Office of Broadband Development Office hours Sep 24: BEAD updates and federal permitting

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Almost 50 people attended the Office of Broadband Development Office hours this week to get updates on BEAD. Also, Megan Messerol, the Land Use Permitting Expert at OBD spoke about rules for federal funding related to land and permits. People had good questions and OBD made clear that they are happy to have open conversations with all partners. NTIA has the final say, so OBD may not always have an immediate answer but tonight we can find it.

I livestreamed the session – but it looks like only 6 minutes have been archived.

Questions & Chat notes

  • What happens to the remaining money that doesn’t get doled out?
    We don’t know but we have created a plan to use it all. We remain hopeful
  • What happened to the locations that didn’t get bids from providers?
    OBD did direct negotiations with 20,000 locations to because no one bid on those areas in the competitive round
  • Note: Project data reflected on the map is subject to change until NTIA approves MN’s Final Proposal and grant contracts are executed with subgrantees.
  • Welcome Megan. So happy to have you on the team! Will OBD or NTIA make the Categorical exclusion (CatX) determinations? High level idea of what that will look like?
    OBD will help with exclusion determinations – working with ISPs to gather most of the info. Then OBD will work through the process. NTIA will make the final determination.
  • ISPs will not interface with the ESP, but rather OBD?
    Correct
  • Link to the OBD BEAD webpage: https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/
  • NTIA is having a webinar on Tuesday Sep 30 https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/events/latest-events/permitting-broadband-infrastructure-projects
  • You are saying don’t start your project until final approval – we see 47 week in delays in getting fiber. We haven’t even looked at equipment. Can procurement start before final approval? Do we need waivers if prices are growing? Will they be reimbursable?
    There is some guidance in our draft – but it is still a draft/ There is language about what you can purchase in advance. It is up to the NTIA.
  • will you please put this deck on the webpage
    Yes – it will be posted shortly!
  • any other dates to mention besides Sept. 30 permitting?
    Not at this time

MN Broadband Task Force September 2025: Funding Update on BEAD, Deaf Community Comments and Pew Research

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The MN Broadband Task Force met today. They heard from Communication Service for the Deaf and The Pew Charitable Trusts and got a view from the frontlines and researchers.

The big news with BEAD is that they have announced their “threshold” bid. That’s the bid that makes them look closer at a bid per location, or ask the bidder to make changes or it might even pragmatically indicate that a project will not get funded – depending on how over the threshold it is. Locations that are not able to lower the bid to meet the BEAD threshold may go to satellite.

1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.   Welcome Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband

1:10 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.   Approval of minutes from June and August Task Force meetings

1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) with Cameron Papazis, Business Development Manager and Irisa MacAulay, Business Development Associate

  • 11 million deaf people in the US – 1.1 million in MN
  • There’s a broadband range of supportive needs and solutions. (Signing, lip reading, deaf/blind folks)

Questions: Continue reading →

EVENT Sep 24: MN Office of Broadband Development BEAD update

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From the MN Office of Broadband Development…

Minnesota BEAD update, Wednesday September 24, at 1:00 p.m.

Join the OBD for an information session with updates on the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program in Minnesota, overview of next steps, and time for Q+A on Wednesday September 24, at 1:00 p.m.

This session will not be recorded but slides will be posted, alongside other BEAD resources, to the OBD BEAD webpage.

EVENT Sep 22: MN Broadband Task Force monthly meeting

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband

September 22, 2025

1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 249 182 525 277

Passcode: KH6Rc37B

Dial in by phone

+1 651-395-7448,,377445322# United States, Minneapolis

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 377 445 322#

Join on a video conferencing device

Tenant key: mn@m.webex.com

Video ID: 112 034 183 9

More info

For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN

 

1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. Welcome

Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband

1:10 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  Approval of minutes from June and August Task Force meetings

1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD)

Cameron Papazis, Business Development Manager

Irisa MacAulay, Business Development Associate

2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Break

2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The Pew Charitable Trusts

Jake Varn, Associate Manager, Broadband Access Initiative

3:00 p.m.—3:20 p.m. Office of Broadband Development Overview + Updates

Bree Maki, Executive Director, OBD

12:20 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.Other Business, Subgroup Updates, October’s Meeting Plans, Wrap-up