Blandin on Broadband

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Category Archives: MN

Internet provider RadioLink Internet formerly serving Ellendale closes doors (Steele County)

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KTTC reports...

RadioLink Internet (RLI) notified customers in an email last week it was shutting down immediately. …

The company, which was based at Petsinger’s home in Ellendale, provided internet for residents across approximately 5,000 square miles in southern Minnesota.

Petsinger said a changing political climate in some of the communities his company provided internet for and a declining customer base led to the closing.

In an email sent to KTTC, Petsinger alleged the cities of Ellendale and New Richland violated the Telecommunications Act of 1996 “by shutting down broadband competition.”

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 states “No State or local statute or regulation, or other State or local legal requirement, may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service.”

New Richland’s city administrator, Tyler Lendt, told KTTC the city council voted in May 2026 to remove RLI’s equipment from its water tower with a 60-day notice. Lendt said the city and company had contract from 2013 to 2018, but the equipment hadn’t been removed since the contracted ended.

Responding to the Telecommunications Act allegation, Lendt said the council’s decision to end the contract was “based on ensuring that the city was fairly compensate and, most importantly, one of the city’s most crucial pieces of infrastructure was protected.”

A representative from Ellendale has yet to provide comment.

Living in a rural area of Steele County, Ludeman said she relied on RLI’s fast internet speed during the COVID-19 pandemic to work remotely and needed the connection to better use her phone.

OBD Broadband Update June 3: Line Extension, Task Force meeting and updates

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From the MN Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Line Extension Connection Program updates
  • Broadband Task Force, May meeting recap
  • OBD resource update, new Maps and Data, Environmental Permitting and Reports webpage
  • Broadband in the news

Line Extension Connection Program updates

The bidding window for the fast-tracked Round 5 closed May 22, 2026 and submitted bids are under review and initial award offers are being sent.
Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the 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.

OBD expects to announce a sixth round of the program with standard timelines using state funds later in 2026. More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

Broadband Task Force, May meeting recap

The Broadband Task Force met virtually on Thursday May 21 and heard presentations from two Tribal broadband experts on workforce development, supply chain issues, and broadband expansion: Godfrey Enjady (President of the National Tribal Telecommunications Association-NTTA) and Anis Khemakhem (Chief Commercial Officer at Clearfield Inc.). Additionally, OBD’s executive director Bree Maki presented updates on the Line Extension Connection Program and the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

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

OBD resource update, new Maps and Data, Environmental Permitting and Reports webpage

OBD has updated and consolidated resources on our webpage, including a new home for the interactive statewide Minnesota Broadband Map and new Environmental and Permitting Resources section on the Maps and Data, Environmental Permitting, and Reports webpage:

This page will be updated as additional resources are available, serve as a resource hub for archived broadband maps and reports, and works to meet accessibility standards for web content.

Please contact the office at deed.broadband@state.mn.us or 651-259-7610 if you have any questions or need materials provided in an alternate format for accessibility purposes.

Broadband in the news

Upcoming events of interest and recent broadband news to note includes:

  • Register today for the National Tribal Telecommunications Association (NTTA) Midwest Region Tribal Broadband Summit, June 22-24 at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, MN. The 2026 NTTA Tribal Broadband Summit is the premier national gathering where Tribal Nations, federal agencies, telecommunications experts, and industry innovators come together with a shared purpose: to accelerate broadband deployment and strengthen digital sovereignty throughout Indian Country.
  • Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative’s press release, Update on Broadband Expansion in Central Aitkin County and Gary Johnson receives Lifetime Achievement Award, congratulations to Gary on the recognition of his impact, including his time as CEO.
  • Congratulations to Bevcomm’s Director of Operations, John Sonnek, for 50 years of service and dedication to broadband deployment (pictured below).

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 →

OPPORTUNITY: Minnesota e-Health Advisory Committee is looking for members

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From the MN Secretary of State Office…

— The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State (OSS) is providing notice that various state boards, councils, committees, and task forces are accepting applications for open seats.

New vacancies are listed below. See the complete list of 498 seats on the OSS Open Positions webpage. Use the search fields on that webpage to find a specific board or position. Or click on the hyperlinks below to learn more about boards and their respective positions.

If position descriptions aren’t listed for the seats you’d like to apply to, contact the board staff for more information on member duties, qualifications, required application material, and more. See the Request Information section below for tips on contacting board staff.

Apply for a Position

Detailed instructions on finding a position, submitting an application, and related information are provided on the Boards & Commissions Help & How To webpage.

And the positions that I thought might be of interest to readers…

Minnesota e-Health Advisory Committee
Vacancies: 3 Seats — Academics and Research
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Community Clinics/Fed Qual. Health Centers
Vacancies: 2 Seats — Consumer Member
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Health Care Administrator
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Health Care Purchasers and Employers
Vacancies: 2 Seats — Health IT Vendors
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Health System Chief Information Officer
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Hospital Representatives
Vacancies: 4 Seats — Licensed Health Professionals (Physician/Nurse)
Vacancies: 1 Seat — Long Term and Post-Acute Care
Vacancies: 2 Seats — Professional with Expert Knowledge in Health IT
Vacancies: 2 Seats — Rotating Professionals – Additional Health Settings (Dentists, Pharmacists, Behavior Health Laboratory, Home Health, Social Services, etc)

Get more info

MN eNews June 2026: End of MN Legislature, figuring out funding

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MN Broadband Task Force May meeting: Native networks, Clearfield on BABA, data centers and OBD updates
The MN Broadband Task Force heard from the National Tribal Telecommunications Association on the Connect New Mexico Broadband Tribal Working Group and overview of leadership on the National Tribal Telecommunications Association 2026 NTTA Broadband Midwest Regional Summit as well as from Clearfield Inc.on workforce development and BABA compliance and its practical implications on broadband deployment. Data centers (including micro-scale data centers) and AI were hot topics in both presentations.

Rural broadband advocates in MN hopeful that new law will prevent missed future funding
The Minnesota Star Tribune tells of grant funds lost because of light scrutiny on applicants for federal funding, in areas such as Le Sueur County. Broadband advocates are hoping that a new law will help protect loss in the future

State News   

National News

Vendor/Technology News

Office of Broadband Development Updates and News:

Local Broadband News

Aitkin
Paul Bunyan Communication announces Broadband Expansion in Central Aitkin County

Iron Range
IRRR’s 2027 budget includes infrastructure/broadband

Scott, Waseca, Nicollet, Le Sueur and McLeod Counties
Mediacom Communications announces 5-Gig in parts of Scott, Waseca, Nicollet, Le Sueur and McLeod Counties

Southwest MN
Telehealth is going mobile in the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota

Superior (WI)
City of Superior (WI) expands ConnectSuperior broadband by 1000 locations

Twin Cities
Student works with seniors to create online world that merges current and historical look of neighborhood

Willmar
Groundbreaking for Willmar Connect, a city-owned, citywide broadband project, happened May 12
Willmar Council seeks bids to turn former wastewater treatment plant into the network operations center for Willmar Connect.
EVENT May 12: Windom City Council to hear Windomnet acquisition proposals

Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Resources

Telehealth is going mobile in the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota

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Yahoo News reports…

Telehealth is going mobile in the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota.

Federal funding is making it possible to install telehealth communication systems in 109 ambulances operated by 54 Emergency Medical Service systems serving 27 hospitals.

Each ambulance will be connected to an “hub” in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There, a team of board-certified emergency physicians, experienced paramedics, and nurses will be in virtual contact with the ambulance crews during emergency calls.

Simultaneously, the local hospital’s health care team and emergency room are connected as well.

“A major milestone,” is how Ann Jenson, executive director of the described the arrival of mobile telehealth to the region. Jenson was joined by representatives of state transportation and public safety services, the, Avel eCare, and health care staff with the in Dawson for a ceremonial ribbon cutting on May 27.

Some details…

A $9.9 million grant that was part of the $1 billion Biden-Harris Administration’s bipartisan infrastructure law is making the telehealth system possible. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar helped secure the release of the funding, and sent a letter to participants at the ribbon cutting applauding what she described as an innovative project.

The University of Minnesota will be assessing the new system during the upcoming years to determine its life-saving value and long-term sustainability.

The grant will provide funding for five years. The long-term hope is to find on-going funding to sustain it, according to Becky Vande Kieft, vice president and general manager of emergency services at Avel eCare.

IRRR’s 2027 budget includes infrastructure/broadband

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The Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation reports their budget for 2027; it includes funding for infrastructure, which includes broadband.

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

The FY27 IRRR budget was approved. The $77 million investment strategy exemplifies IRRR’s unwavering commitment to fostering a more prosperous living and working environment in the Taconite Assistance Area. Strategic priorities and funding include:

  • Improve conditions for economic growth with $31 million of resources in community and workforce development. Funds include a $6 million program to promote the preservation, rehabilitation and investment in regional housing stock and neighborhoods with a focus on construction of new homes and/or apartment buildings.
  • Support public works infrastructure, broadband and business and industry with spending of $19 million. Infrastructure funding assists communities in modernizing, redeveloping and replacing foundational assets in order to attract business investments and expansion.
  • Invest funds in natural and recreational assets, Giants Ridge and regional trails to generate diversification and economic impact while contributing to the quality of life in the region.
  • Produce a fiscally sound spending plan that includes reserve funds for unforeseen future needs.

Paul Bunyan Communication announces Broadband Expansion in Central Aitkin County

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Paul Bunyan Communications announces…

Paul Bunyan Communications started on its broadband expansion across Central Aitkin County in late April and the project is progressing as planned so far. The project area includes the cities of McGregor, Palisade, and Tamarack, as well as portions of Clark, Haugen, Jevne, Libby, Logan, McGregor, Shamrock, and Workman Townships. Once completed over 2,400 homes & businesses will have access to the all-fiber optic network and the services it provides.
Currently crews are working in the city of Palisade, areas east of Palisade/north of McGregor, and construction recently started within the city of McGregor. JCSinc, a business member of our cooperative out of Shevlin, MN is the contractor doing the construction. Their vehicles are marked and there will also be magnets on some with the Paul Bunyan Communications logo to help identify the project.
The first stage of the construction process is installing the main fiber network which is followed by installing the connections up to individual homes and businesses that have signed up to be connected. Once those two stages are completed, our clean up/restoration crews will come through, and our team will work to splice the fiber network. Once it is operational in a project area, customers who signed up for service will be contacted to schedule service installations. A video on how the construction process works is located on the Paul Bunyan Communications YouTube channel at:


For those unfamiliar with Paul Bunyan Communications, we are a member-owned broadband cooperative that has served northern Minnesota since 1952. There are no membership fees or annual dues, membership is gained when a resident or business subscribes to local phone service or GigaZone® Broadband Internet service. The cooperative headquarters is in Bemidji with a Customer Service & Technology Center located in Grand Rapids.
Sign Up Now to Ensure Fiber Optic Connection Residents and businesses in these expansion areas are encouraged to sign up for service now, before construction crews move on to ensure the fiber optic connection is brought up to the location. That can be done quickly and easily online at paulbunyan.net or in person at one of our office locations.
Services Available Upon Completion Once the network is live, customers will have access to Paul Bunyan’s GigaZone® services, including high-speed fiber-optic Internet with speeds up to 10 Gig and dependable, low-cost unlimited local and long-distance GigaZone® voice services.

MN Star Tribune compare growth of AI and data centers with growth of broadband

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Minnesota Star Tribune columnist compares growth of AI and data centers with expansion of broadband in 2000. He starts with the history…

Everyone in business these days seems to be searching for a tale from history to meaningfully describe the growing importance of AI. I personally think it will transform the way people work with their digital devices and information. But we’re at a very confusing time in its development.

So the tale in history I’m going to invoke comes from the late 1990s and early 2000s: the time when the internet was in its hockey-stick period of fast adoption.

The buildout of the commercial internet had enormous effects on company valuations, but also on the nation’s physical environment, just as AI now does. Many people have forgotten how much the nation was ripped up to build what was initially called an “information superhighway” but eventually became known as the broadband network.

In July 2001, the longtime tech writer of the Star Tribune, Steve Alexander, wrote, “The information superhighway is getting wider in the Twin Cities.” He then described plans to lay fiber-optic lines along Interstate 94 and Interstate 35E in St. Paul — at a cost of around $10 million.

How quaint that seems when set against the multibillion-dollar expense of a single data center in 2026.

And talks about what he sees today…

Today, I’m very reluctant to say AI is being overhyped or overbuilt. And I wouldn’t even try to predict the effect AI will have on jobs and the environment.

AI may very well turn out to be overinvested in, however. The entire case for massive data centers may be overturned by an advance in software programming or by the decentralization of processing power as chip technology advances. AI companies’ debt loads may become too much to bear, even if the companies turn fabulously profitable. I remember stories about broadband buildouts appeared not long before a big crash in internet-related stocks.

The commercial internet did justify its investment, despite the bursting of an initial bubble that wiped out billions in shareholder value.

At the moment, however, the numbers on AI investments are jaw-dropping, even if you’ve got the mouth of a hippo.

Rural broadband advocates in MN hopeful new law will prevent missed future funding

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Regular readers will recognize the story that the Minnesota Star Tribune tells of grant funds lost because of light scrutiny on applicants for federal funding. Broadband advocates are hoping that a new law will help protect loss in the future…

So some locals were optimistic when, in 2020, LTD Broadband, a company with Minnesota ties, received more than a billion dollars in federal funding to provide broadband to rural areas like Le Sueur County. Because of the provisional grant, the county found itself shut out of state funding for its own programs because of possible overlap with LTD territories — even though officials in Le Sueur worried the company’s efforts would fail.

LTD’s plans fell apart in 2022 after state and federal regulators revoked key licenses and canceled grants after determining the company couldn’t fulfill its promises.

The result has been missed opportunities for the county, said Barbara Droher Kline, a financial planner and rural broadband consultant for Le Sueur County. She and other broadband advocates said they hope a new federal law will force the U.S. government to do a better job vetting broadband internet providers and their promises.

The Rural Broadband Protection Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, directs the Federal Communications Commission to provide more thorough scrutiny.

“The new FCC vetting process will confirm that providers have the ability — financially, technically and operationally — to follow through with their commitments,” Klobuchar said in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “This will prevent situations where companies that win federal funding to deploy rural broadband cannot actually deliver service.”

Advocates say the impetus for the law came from the fallout with LTD. The company, which rebranded in 2023 and is now known as GigFire, did not respond to requests for comment.

Arvig Appoints Ben Wiechman as Chief Technology Officer

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Business Insider reports…

Arvig has announced the promotion of Ben Wiechman to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Wiechman, who previously served as the Director of Network Strategy and Engineering, will now provide overall leadership for Arvig’s technology strategy—ensuring that its broadband network, systems, and technology investments are secure, reliable, and scalable for the future.

Prior to his appointment as CTO, Wiechman led Arvig’s network engineering and service delivery teams.

Student works with seniors to create online world that merges current and historical look of neighborhood

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I used to write a lot more about “seniors getting seniors online” and other tools to maximize use of broadband. So when I saw this project happening near my neighborhood in St Paul I had to share. I can see the application in every neighborhood or small town as a way to bring seniors (or in this case, sophomores) and seniors together and maybe create a unique tourism tool.

MinnPost reports…

“Do you know you can go on your phone and there’s this game where you can see the old Rondo and the new Rondo?”

It’s called the “Rondo-verse” – a video game aiming to give a sense not only of historic Rondo, but also its present-day vibrancy.

As co-creator Benny Roberts said, “It’s important for me that the community that I come from and was raised in isn’t defined by the thing that happened to it.”

The project is a collaboration between Jolie Davis, a sophomore biology major at Macalester College and Roberts, the executive director of Rondo’s Hallie Q. Brown Community Center.

Using funding from the center’s historical archive program, Roberts was able to hire Davis for 10 weeks and figure out how to showcase Rondo in a unique way.

Davis suggested using Roblox – a platform where users can create their own video games and experiences. Roberts initially pitched The Sims, but acknowledged that Roblox was the right call given its wild popularity with kids and teenagers.

“The Sims feels like my generation,” he said, laughing.

To help create a vision of Rondo’s history, they worked with a group of about 15 community elders – people who knew what it was like to live, work and grow up in Rondo first hand.

 

EVENT May 21: MN Broadband Task Force Meeting

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From the Office of Broadband Development...

Agenda: Broadband Task Force, May Meeting

Date: 05/21/2026

Virtual Meeting Join the meeting now.

· Meeting ID and Pass Code: 264 866 276 637 50 and nR3hC3Lr

· Dial in by phone: +1 651-395-7448,,157228567# · Join on a video conferencing device: Tenant key, mn@m.webex.com. Video ID: 112 567 815 8

Meeting Agenda

10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.

Welcome from Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband and approval of minutes from February and April Task Force meetings.

10:05 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Open the floor for Task Force member share-out from the April 29 in-person meeting: did any topics come up in discussion that should be considered for the annual report; are there any speakers that would be helpful to hear from at future Task Force meetings?

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Presentation from Godfrey Enjady (President, National Tribal Telecommunications Association) on the Connect New Mexico Broadband Tribal Working Group and overview of leadership on the National Tribal Telecommunications Association 2026 NTTA Broadband Midwest Regional Summit.

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Presentation from Anis Khemakhem (Chief Commercial Officer, Clearfield Inc.) on workforce development and BABA compliance and its practical implications on broadband deployment.

11:15 a.m. – 11:25 a.m., Break

11:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Office of Broadband Development (OBD) overview and updates from Bree Maki (Executive Director, OBD).

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Open the floor to other business, next meeting Thursday June 18 (virtual), and meeting wrap-up.

 

Office of Broadband Update May 20: Line Extension, BEAD and upcoming meetings

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Line Extension Connection Program, Round 5 bidding window closes May 22
  • Broadband Task Force, May meeting plans
  • Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

Line Extension Connection Program, Round 5 bidding window closes May 22

The Round 5 Provider Bidding Application and Line Extension Program Guide, with guidance for the fast-tracked round are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

The bidding window for the fast-tracked Round 5 opened April 22 and bids are due May 22, 2026 by 1:30 p.m. CT.

Registration is open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the program and OBD expects to announce a sixth round of the program with standard timelines using state funds later in 2026.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage. For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

Broadband Task Force, May meeting plans

The Broadband Task Force will meet virtually on Thursday May 21 at 10 a.m. CT.

The May meeting will feature two Tribal broadband experts who will address topics on workforce development, supply chain issues, and broadband expansion: Godfrey Enjady (President of the National Tribal Telecommunications Association-NTTA) and Anis Khemakhem (Chief Commercial Officer at Clearfield Inc.).

  • NTTA advocates for its member telephone companies and supports efforts to deliver modern telecommunications services to Tribal lands.
  • Clearfield, Inc. launched the Tribal Broadband Training Initiative, providing a no-cost Fiber Optic Technician Course to Native American communities. The program aims to create pathways to living-wage careers and connect Tribal lands with high-speed fiber broadband. Clearfield also complies with Build America Buy America (BABA) and manufactures fiber optic connectivity and management products.

The meeting is virtual and open to the public. The meeting agenda with Teams link to join is available on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

OBD continues to work on contracting and environmental review. Additional and updated resources on the OBD BEAD webpage include:

OBD appreciates its ongoing partnerships across community, regional, state, and federal levels and the people, places, and events our office gets to in small ways be apart of and we will be featuring shared photos over the summer to recognize and appreciate this impact.