Tough to summarize Mr Bensen’s presentation. So I’m going to offer the description:

Dr. M. James Bensen, President Emeritus, Bemidji State University

Blandin Trustee Emeritus and Futurist Dr. M. James Bensen will inspire us with his vision of what a gigabit network – like the one Paul Bunyan Communications recently announced will

soon be rolled out across northern Minnesota – can mean for rural Minnesota’s prosperity and quality of life. What could a connected future look like for rural Minnesota communities?

A quick video:

And his PPT:

It was good to hear about State Policy. The Office of the Broadband Development was a huge accomplishment by the MN Broadband Task Force and MN Legislature. And now it serves as infrastructure to get stuff done. Some of that stuff – certainly the focus on 2014 – is funding. The OBD received 40 applications from across the state looking for broadband funding.

Moving forward the ODB will do that and more. The goal now is to find ways to leverage policy, federal funding and public-private partnerships to support broadband expansion – deployment and adoption. The Republican force in Legislature will make things different – but there’s a big focus on rural and that means rural broadband.

The Task Force will continue to make recommendations (you can get a sneak peek) and the legislature will continue to find ways to help broadband prosper.

Speakers included:

• o Representative Ron Kresha
• o Danna MacKenzie, Office of Broadband Development
• o Senator Matt Schmit
• o Paul Weirtz, AT&T
• o Moderated by Bill Hoffman, Connect Minnesota

Questions:

Why is rural broadband going into three committees?

• It won’t get split so much as touch upon several topics such as it will touch on Commerce, Greater MN and Energy Infrastructure.

Continuing funding for broadband is a huge priority. What about using GO Bonds? That would encourage public-private partnership.

• The State Bonding does not see fiber as long term utility. But we need to change that. It’s not eligible now but we think that will change.
• You realize the need for State GO Bonds when you visit the State. We compete with a lot of other great projects – sewer, roads.
• Maybe local bonding is another route. I think this will come up in Session this year.

What’s happening with FirstNet?

• The Office of Broadband Development is working with the State and we’re focused on considering for leveraging connectivity in remote areas. The State would need to subscribe to FirstNet – rather that requiring a big investment in the build out.

Lots of counties have spent money on lawyers to try to overcome barriers in current broadband policy.

How can we change the silo funding for broadband?

• Government is a bunch of fiefdoms. The resources are hard and people don’t want to share.
• We created a matching grant program to prove the interest, need and good ideas. We want to improve that approach to leverage more funding.
• We should find ways to invest. Local entities can be more creative than the State.
• The Broadband Task Force is going to talk about silo approach to funding soon. We are looking at ways to make changes and share more.

I can only be in one room at a time so for many of the breakout sessions, I’m just going to be able to post the info that was shared with me.

Public-private partnerships are the middle ground between community network and private-sector only advocates. Within these bounds, there is a large grey area of uncertainty. What is legal? What is smart? What are the options for finance, ownership and operations? Join the director of the DEED Office of Broadband Development and several private-public partners as they discuss the challenges of creating these partnerships.

Moderated by Danna MacKenzie, Executive Director, Office of Broadband Development

• o Jenny Boulton, Kennedy & Graven
• o Shannon Sweeney, David Drown Associates
• o Milda K. Hedblom, Dain Consulting; Telecomm Forum, U of M School of Public Affairs; Augsburg College

Is your community tech savvy or tech sorry? 

Join community broadband champions, thought leaders and policy makers from across the state to recharge and celebrate our shared efforts to make border to border broadband come true for Minnesota. Our kids think there is a “webtone” out there – but only if we build it and use it for more connected, better lives.  Come be part of the solution. 

Sponsored by Blandin Foundation and Connect Minnesota, the Border to Border Broadband: No Community Left Behind conference is being held November 18-19 at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd.

Consider attending the optional Preconference Session on Broadband Networks: Community Considerations, facilitated by Bill Coleman of Community Technology Advisors:

Depending on who you ask, “adequate” broadband ranges from 4 Mbps to 1 Gbps.  Now that most community leaders know that, in general, they need broadband, they need to understand the ramifications of alternative network scenarios and decisions and the prospective impact on their community. This session will focus on network infrastructures, capabilities and trends in usage by organizations and users.

Bill Coleman and guest experts will illustrate the tech and policy choices facing communities.  Without getting too bogged down in tech terms and jargon, this presentation will help community leaders to better understand their current situations, prospective choices and the impact of those decisions on the future economic vitality of the community or region.
Visit the conference webpage for more information and registration. Registration is Open!!!