EVENT Jan 20: AAPB and ILSR to Host Webinar on Legal Challenges Facing Community Broadband

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From the Institute for Local Self Reliance…

Cities and towns building or expanding locally owned broadband networks can face a complex and confusing legal landscape.

To help local leaders better understand those challenges, the American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB) and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Community Broadband Networks Initiative are kicking off the new year with another one of their increasingly popular and informative webinars.

The free event, “Navigating the Legal Landscape of Community Broadband” is slated for Tuesday, January 20, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET.

Registration is now open here.

Broadband Prices Increased in 2025

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…

The proliferation of expensive high-speed plans drove the change.

Prices for lower-cost plans fell, along with their availability

Analysis of the Federal Communications Commission’s Urban Rate Survey (URS) data from 2020 to 2025 shows that:

  • Broadband service offerings at the highest speeds are expensive, growing in prevalence, and driving up average broadband prices.
    • For plans with download speeds of 2 Gigabits per second (Gbps) or more, the average price was $179 per month, more than twice what URS found that plans between 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) and 1 Gbps cost (about $80 per month).
    • The average price across all broadband plan offerings grew by 4.8% in inflation-adjusted (“real”) terms from 2024 to 2025.
    • Very high-speed (i.e., 2 Gbps or higher download) plans now make up 16% of the 2025 URS sample, nearly double the figure from 2024 (9%).
    • Fiber plans are also far more common in the 2025 URS than a few years ago, now making up 47% of the sample compared with 23% in 2022.
    • Fiber-optic home broadband plans have seen price increases in real terms – by 12.8% in 2025 compared to the prior year and 40.1% since 2020.
    • Inflation overall increased by 25.1% between 2020 and 2025.
  • Prices for mid-tier plans (i.e., those with download speeds between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps) declined 8.5% in real terms between 2024 and 2025 and 28.9% since 2020.
  • Lower tier plans also witnessed price declines. For services with download speeds of 100 Mbps or less, prices fell by 13.4% from 2024 to 2025 and 15.0% since 2020.
  • Fixed-wireless service – potentially an attractive option for those on a budget – saw price declines of 20.0% from 2024 to 2025 and 50.7% since 2020.
  • There are far fewer low-cost plans available than in the recent past, according to URS data.
    • When the Affordable Connectivity Program was in operation, 9% of all service offerings captured in the URS were $30 per month or less. That figure fell to just 3% in the data for 2025.
    • Similarly, slower speed (and less expensive) plans became less common. Plans with speeds of 100 Mbps or less were 32% of the 2025 sample, down from 57% in 2022.

More on the Broadband in rural St. Louis County

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I wrote about the good news in St Louis County earlier, but always nice to see more mainstream media sources pick up on it. Fox21 also tells the story, with video…

After more than a decade of planning and persistence, broadband internet is finally expanding to four of St. Louis County’s most rural townships.

In an era where internet access is often taken for granted, many families in rural parts of the county have long struggled with limited or unreliable service. Leaders say geography and distance have made it difficult for providers to justify the costly infrastructure needed to reach these areas.

That reality is now changing.

“I started crying. I couldn’t believe it after all this time,” said retired township supervisor Jan Keough, who has been involved in the effort since 2009.

“The main lesson is, persistence pays off,” Keough said.

Another key figure in the project is Rod Saline, a supervisor for North Star Township, one of the four townships slated to receive broadband service. Saline said approximately 548 residents will now have the opportunity to connect.

He says the benefits go far beyond faster internet speeds.

NCTA video on disaster recovery for broadband

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One of the weird tasks I had as a librarian was writing a disaster recovery (aka continuity) plan for the collection. So, I always think a little bit about recovery. We are so reliant on broadband, I found the following video from NCTA interesting…

Description from NCTA

When natural disasters strike, the connections communities rely on can suddenly go dark. AFTER THE STRORM, a new docufilm from NCTA, takes you inside the effort to restore connectivity after hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. The film follows broadband crews as they work alongside utilities and government agencies to rebuild critical infrastructure and reconnect communities. Through striking footage and firsthand accounts, AFTER THE STORM reveals the coordination, precision, and teamwork that drive recovery.

Rural St Louis County is getting better broadband through BEAD and Mediacom

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News from North Star Township and Pequaywan Township in St Louis County..

Minnesota broadband grants, funded by the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), will include funding to Mediacom to bring a fiber optic network to rural North Star and Pequaywan Townships and adjacent areas. On December 22, 2025, Senator Klobuchar announced that the Minnesota grant program had been approved by NTIA. “I’m thrilled to announce that Minnesota’s broadband funding
proposal has been approved, which will bring fast, affordable, reliable internet to families in every
corner of our state, especially in North Star, Pequaywan, and other rural townships,” said Senator
Klobuchar. “This funding is available thanks to my bipartisan legislation that I fought to pass so that
Minnesota families—regardless of their ZIP code—have access to high-speed internet.”
“For more than a decade, the residents and leaders of North Star and Pequaywan Townships have done everything right—planning, organizing, and advocating for better connectivity—and this investment finally delivers on that work,” said Bree Maki, Executive Director of The Office of
Broadband Development “BEAD funding is designed to reach exactly these kinds of rural communities
that the market alone has not served, and this project will help to ensure families, businesses, and first responders in St. Louis County have access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet that meets today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities.”
North Star and Pequaywan Townships along with a handful of other rural townships in St Louis County,
have been working to bring reliable, affordable and fast internet access to their communities since 2009. Townships have lobbied providers, conducted feasibility studies, satisfaction surveys, and outreach. More populous townships have attracted broadband providers, but the more rural and less populous townships including North Star and Pequaywan have had no success until now.
In St. Louis County, Mediacom, in recent years, began building a fiber optic network in Lakewood Township and later, into Normanna Township, bringing their network to the North Star Township border. This gave township officials new incentive to convince Mediacom to extend north. Mediacom successfully applied for BEAD funding for North Star and Pequaywan Townships and adjacent areas.
“We are thrilled to have recently been awarded grants through the state’s BEAD program,” said Christopher Lord, Mediacom’s Senior Director of Government Partnership Opportunities. “We have long enjoyed a highly collaborative relationship with the amazing team at Minnesota DEED, and NorthStar Township, Pequaywan Township, Ault Township, and Unorganized Township 54-13, have been great local partners throughout this process. We look forward to delivering fiber-to-the-home broadband services to these communities and seeing the great impact these services will have on the residents and businesses in these townships.”

Funding from the BEAD program will also greatly expand broadband availability across in St Louis County. Commissioner Paul McDonald noted “This is fantastic news for these townships who have been working diligently for over 15 years to get quality broadband”.
Officials from North Star and Pequaywan Townships have been working to prepare their property owners to get the Mediacom fiber optic service through hosting town hall meetings and newsletters.
Rod Saline, North Star Supervisor, noted “Our citizens, small businesses, and especially our Fire/EMS Department, are looking forward to having access to reliable, affordable, and really fast broadband!”
Doug Nelson, Pequaywan Supervisor, added “This announcement from Sen Klobuchar is welcome news for all the residents in our area as this broadband service is greatly needed.”
Information on the Minnesota BEAD broadband program can be found at:
https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/

Rural broadband is getting better but there are still gaps say’s NTCA’s Shirley Bloomfield

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Brownfield Ag News reports…

Shirley Bloomfield is the CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association…

“I’ve got 850 community-based local companies and cooperatives across the country that are providing broadband to their communities,” she said. “They are now up to about 90% fiber to the home for their customer base. That covers 35% of the land mass of the United States.”

She tells Brownfield there’s been some good progress in recent years.

However, “The job is not done,” Bloomfield added. “There are still a percentage of Americans that are tough to serve. They live in remote areas.”

Bloomfield says many farmers and ranchers remain in need of broadband improvements.

“When you’ve got a farm that is three miles down the road, you’ve got to have a government program – like we’ve seen with the infrastructure act – that actually gives companies a business model and a business reason to go connect those most remote Americans.”

EVENT Jan 8: MN Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity (2pm)

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The MN Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity meets today (Jan 8) at 2pm. You can join remotely…

 

Date: Thu., Jan. 8

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Event: Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity

Agenda:

Minnesota National Guard presentation.

Future meeting topics and schedule.

Channel: HTV1

Local governments don’t agree with broadband providers views on permitting

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Light Reading reports…

Local governments and large industry trade groups are not aligned on the idea of wireline permitting reforms.

That’s not breaking news, but the differences of opinion were newly highlighted in an FCC docket, opened last year, soliciting comments and proposing questions about how the Commission can use its authority under section 253 of the Communications Act to preempt state and local laws that “have a prohibitive effect on wireline telecommunications deployments and services.” The FCC collected comments after opening the proceeding in September, with reply comments due in December 2025.

They highlight their views…

The groups stress that local permitting rules protect public safety, and they point to recent instances where “companies installing and deploying communications infrastructure endangered residents in multiple communities” – including situations that “sometimes resulted in the death of children,” according to the Local Government Associations.

The filing highlights a few instances in particular – including one in November 2025, for example, where “an excavation crew hired by Spectrum ruptured a gas main in Mitchell, Wisconsin,” resulting in four workers becoming hospitalized, two homes being damaged and “the evacuation of dozens of residents,” said the groups.

Willmar City Council delays announcement of Willmar Connect broadband plan

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Willmar City Council had planned to announce the broadband plans at Monday’s council meeting. Instead, West Central Tribune reports…

Consideration for awarding the bid for the Willmar Connect initiative was expected to be on the Willmar City Council agenda on Monday, Jan. 5, but that agenda item was again delayed.

When asked why, City Operations Director Kyle Box explained the agreements with the internet service providers that will be operating on the network and paying fees to the city were not yet ready for approval.

He also shared that the low bid, about which the City Council was briefed on Dec. 15, is ready for approval, but the ISP agreements also need to be ready for approval to ensure the council members that the project is financially feasible.

A little more on the low bid…

The low bid from NC3 of Clearbrook, Minnesota, for phase one is in the amount of approximately $7.6 million. The city expects to collect a fee between $40 and $44 per subscription from the ISPs that use the network, according to Box.

Happy New Year! 2026 MN County Profiles – how is your county doing?

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The MN Broadband County Profiles were posted in late December. Click on your county below to learn more about your community or see how your county compares to others for access to 100 Mbps down and 20 up, the 2026 MN State speed goal. After a year of waiting and at the same time the profiles were posted, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Minnesota’s BEAD proposal for federal funding. The profiles and the proposal are tools you can use to highlight broadband needs and/or successes in your community or to reach out to local leaders.

Here’s hoping better broadband for us all in 2026!

EVENT Jan 7: New Year, New Connections: BEAD Moves Forward in 2026!

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From the folks at Fiber Broadband…

Week #1

New Year, New Connections: BEAD Moves Forward in 2026!

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

at 10:00 AM EST

After years of planning, the BEAD program is moving from paper to pavement—but approval is only the start. In this first episode of 2026, Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative, joins Fiber Broadband Association President & CEO Gary Bolton to examine what comes next as states begin building networks to reach nearly five million locations. Kathryn unpacks NTIA’s evolving guidance, the “curing” process, and the challenges ahead—from permitting and workforce shortages to supply chain pressures and non-deployment funding uncertainty. If you’re asking, “proposals are approved—now what?” this episode offers timely, practical insight into the work ahead and what it will take to turn BEAD’s ambition into lasting broadband impact.

Register Now!

Doug Dawson has an interesting take on digital literacy with smartphones vs devices

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Doug Dawson looks at digital literacy in a recent POTS and PANS post…

A friend of mine, Frederick Pilot, recently asked me an interesting question. Is digital literacy that comes from using a smartphone the same as digital literacy from using a computer? It’s a great question, because the majority of Internet users in the world only have broadband access through a smartphone. In developing nations, 90% of broadband users only have access to a smartphone. In the U.S., 16% of adults only use a smartphone to reach the Internet.

There are skills needed to master using a computer that can’t be learned from using a smartphone. Computer users learn to use a mouse and to type – even people who speak to a computer need the mouse and keyboard. People working on computers learn how to create, save, and manage files. Computer users learn how to use operating systems and software programs.

By contrast, smartphone users mostly learn how to use apps. While some apps are complex, the skills learned generally apply mostly to the specific app.

The conclusion…

None of this discussion answers the original question, which asks if smartphone users are digitally literate. I’m sure that many smartphone users are fully literate in terms of being able to navigate the web. But that doesn’t mean they have the digital skills that employers are looking for. And that begs the question of what it means to be digitally literate.

It’s always an interesting question and Doug’s take is interesting too. My mom was a system’s analyst when I was a kid. She could (and can) type. My dad had a software development company. He wasn’t great at typing then; he’s better now. He understood the technology. He may be the exception that proves the rule, or he may be exception that highlights a loophole. If you understand the technology and you are in charge or have people, you might get away without typing.

I remember teaching a class on using technology to start a business. There was one student who showed up with her phone only. She sold fry bread. She was young enough that I’m sure she learned “keyboarding” at school, but the phone was more mobile, affordable and something she could operate from her kitchen (or her mobile stand). Her phone allowed her to accept payments on the fly.

I also talk to a lot of musicians. Some are very technical, both in creation and promotion of their music. Those who aren’t, hire managers or PR folks. But if you want to be the manager or PR person, you’ll need the tech skills.

It seems that there are many flavors of digitally literacy; workforce tech skills, entrepreneurial tech skills, artist tech skills, parenting tech skills (filling out FAFSA alone!) and more.

Senators introduce the SUCCESS for BEAD Act authorizing BEAD funds for broadband enhancement

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Senator Wicker reports…

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss. and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V. introduced the Supporting U.S. Critical Connectivity and Economic Strategy and Security for BEAD Act (SUCCESS for BEAD Act). This legislation would authorize states to use remaining funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program for projects that support state’s deployment plan by enhancing public safety, improving network resiliency, strengthening national security, and developing a qualified workforce for emerging technologies. The overarching goal is to advance digital infrastructure readiness and sustain U.S. leadership in innovation by providing clear guardrails for the eligible uses of the remaining funds.

Willmar City Council to decide on broadband plan amidst some criticism

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The West Central Tribune reports…

The Willmar City Council on Monday, Jan. 5, is expected to consider awarding the bid for the construction of phase one of the Willmar Connect initiative to construct a city-owned, open-access broadband network.

At the Dec. 15 City Council meeting, Bob Enos was joined by approximately 10 people to speak against the initiative. Enos spoke while others held up signs stating, “Shame on you! Willmar City Council — $25 million for internet and you don’t ask?” The signs also had a graphic of people below the text.

Willmar has been working on better broadband for years…

The project is planned in three phases, with phase one covering all businesses and residences west of First Street South between U.S. Highway 12 and 19th Avenue. Phase one’s estimated cost is approximately $7.8 million. As of the Dec. 15 meeting, city staff were vetting a bid of $7.6 million.

Phase two will build out the network in the southern and eastern portions of the city and phase three will build it out to the north at a cost of approximately $7 million each.

During his address, Enos accused city staff of failing to conduct due diligence on the project and of withholding information from the City Council regarding failed municipal networks.

“The public is left with three questions. Number one, did the city staff fail to do the basic due diligence that I did at home in my spare time? If not, that’s pure laziness and incompetence,” Enos continued. “Number two, did the city staff, in fact, do its due diligence and then withhold information that didn’t support the desired narrative? If that’s so, that’s fraudulent. Or, has the City Council been fully aware of the financial damage other cities suffered — the risk of this infrastructure becoming prematurely obsolete in an industry evolving at hyper speed — and yet chooses to put the taxpayers at risk anyway? If so, that’s immoral.”

The City Council responded…

“With all due respect, I appreciate the opinions and the point of view that any member of the community may have on the project, that’s why we’re at this public forum or public setting to have these conversations,” Box said. “ … I can absolutely take criticism if I need to, but I feel we’ve done our due diligence. We have been very conservative in all of our project funding. We’ve tried to keep this as tight as we can without having to slow the project down too much, where we lose interest.”

He noted that he has never said there would be zero risk in completing this project, and if the council approves moving forward with it and nobody signs up for it, the city still has to pay the debt for it. He also noted there is a lot of data about both successful and failed projects.

The article goes on to outline several municipal networks.

Starlink plans to lower satellite orbit to enhance safety in 2026

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KFGO reports…

Starlink will begin a reconfiguration of its satellite constellation by lowering all of its satellites orbiting at around 550 km (342 ‍miles) to 480 km over the course of 2026, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink engineering, said on Thursday.

The company is looking to increase space safety by lowering the satellites’ orbit.

This comes after Starlink said in December ‌that one of its satellites experienced ‌an anomaly in space, creating a “small” amount of debris and cutting off communications with the spacecraft at 418 km in altitude, a rare kinetic accident in orbit for the satellite ​internet giant.

The company had said the satellite, one of nearly 10,000 in space for its broadband internet ‍network, quickly fell four kilometers ​in altitude, suggesting some kind of ​explosion occurred on board.

“Lowering the satellites results in condensing Starlink ‍orbits, and will increase space safety in several ways,” Nicolls said in a post on social media platform X, adding “the number of debris objects and planned satellite constellations is significantly lower below 500 km, ‍reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision.”