Tag Archives: feasibility study

Pipestone County is working with Hometown Fiber on better broadband plan

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Pipestone County Star reports…

Pipestone County Commissioners during their Oct. 11 meeting approved paying Hometown Fiber up to $99,900 to see what it would take to build a fiber optic internet network that would provide access to quality internet throughout the county. …

According to DEED, much of Pipestone County does not meet that criteria (see map). Pipestone County Administrator Steve Ewing said that’s why he thought it was worth considering the proposal from Hometown Fiber.

More on the project…

According to the proposal from Hometown Fiber, workers will go out into the field to document fiber optic and other broadband assets that exist in the county now, evaluate the technology’s capacity and condition, and identify potential fiber optic lease or partnership opportunities. It will develop economic projections and pre-engineering costs using a per property estimate formula. The estimate will account for population density, geology and topology. The financial analysis will project revenue and expenses to build and operate the network in each city and township.

The next step includes generating network designs, technical drawings, maps of fiber routes, a bill of materials and a technical plan needed for grant applications and other funding sources. The financial plan will include bonding options, terms, return on investment and recurring revenue. It will also identify internet service providers interested in serving the communities and provide information on the type of services and their costs.

Moving forward…

She [Hometown Fiber broadband consultant, Marlena Pfeiffer] said it can cost up to $15,000 to complete an application for a Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant. If some of that information can be used for other grant applications, she said the costs to apply for those grants could be around to $5,000 to $10,000. She said there are also federal loan programs with low interest rates that some projects qualify for.
Pfeiffer said the county could also bond for some of the cost of the project and the bonds could be paid off through internet service providers paying to use the network.

“We’re using your credit, but we’re paying your bills, so in the end this costs you nothing,” she said.

“We’re using your credit, but we’re paying your bills, so in the end this costs you nothing,” she said.

Smith [Hometown vice president] said what usually happens is that the county, township or city they work with owns the conduit that protects the fiber optics and Hometown Fiber owns the fiber, internet exchange and other equipment and is responsible for all operations and maintenance. The county could also decide not to own any of it.

MN East (Iron) Range Broadband Feasibility Study Presentation: lessons for the area and beyond

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Thanks to Karl Schuetter from the Northspan Group for sending me info on the recent East Range Broadband Feasibility Study Presentation. It’s clearly helpful to anyone in the area but helpful to folks in different areas too. Listen to what might be similar in your community and what differentiates your situation. That will help you recognize your assets and “areas for improvement.” Honestly it really helps to see what other communities are dealing with to see your own community more clearly and it’s inspiring to hear the good questions from community members and the plans to approach decisions makers to make things happen!

(And if you have similar to share from your community – please send it my way!)

The presentation looks at:

  • Why Local Governments are Investing in Broadband
  • Lessons learned from the pandemic
  • Existing services and providers
  • Models for gigabit service (costs and financial help)
  • Next steps

From their site…

Over the past two years, the East Range has worked on a regional project to understand what we need to do to improve our broadband. Now, it’s time for our broadband consultant, Diane Kruse of NEO Connect, to share the results of her work. The data she shares will give us the necessary information to make a case for stronger service and apply for state and federal grants. Watch the video of the event here!

EVENT Oct 27: East Range Broadband Feasibility Study Presentation

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An invitation from the  East Range Broadband group…

East Range Broadband Feasibility Study Presentation

October 27 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Over the past two years, the East Range has worked on a regional project to understand what we need to do to improve our broadband. Now, it’s time for our broadband consultant, Diane Kruse of NEO Connect, to share the results of her work. The data she shares will give us the necessary information to make a case for stronger service and apply for state and federal grants.

Join us 10:30 on Tuesday, October 27 using this Zoom link!

Franconia is working on getting better broadband – with an impressive community input proposal

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Franconia has been working on getting better broadband. They have a Franconia Township Communications Committee on Broadband. They got funding from Blandin (combined with County and Township investment) to do a feasibility study, where the surveyed community members and looked at options for better broadband. They used that to create a broadband proposal that they shared earlier this month at the monthly Franconia town hall meeting where the township supervisors voted 3-0 on moving forward to partner with CTC to apply for the state boarder to boarder broadband grant.  If approved, this will bring rural Franconia Township residents fiber.

Chisago County Press reports…

People who live in Franconia Township are all about getting more fiber into their lives– fiber optic that is.

About 50 citizens attending a townhall supervisor meeting August 13 were able to exit happy,  after Franconia Township supervisors passed a resolution 3-0 expressing official support to applying for state Border to Border grants earmarked for upgrading Internet services.

An Internet citizens group represented at last week’s meeting by Angel Phillips Permaloff, Wade Vitalis, Dan Omdahl and Aaron Froberg–is working with a Minnesota telecommunications cooperative, CTC.  The company has been around since 1950 and is motivated to add high capacity and high speed service territory covering both Chisago Lake Township and Franconia.

Franconia’s current sole Internet provider is Frontier Communications of MN.  In a just-completed survey, township property owners registered little satisfaction with Frontier Internet.  Even more disheartening is Frontier doesn’t seem to care, according to anecdotes shared during last week’s meeting.

Now their citizen lead communications committee is hosting a township broadband dinner at Bloom Lake Barn on September 5th from 6pm-8pm. It’s an opportunity for community members to come, ask questions and learn more. I think it’s a great way to build community support. I plan to attend and will report back.