Posted on March 26th, 2010 by Bill Coleman
Yesterday, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced 10 new ARRA broadband stimulus awards. The total investment is more than $63 million in grants. The goal is to increase broadband access and adoption in more than a dozen states, including two that will help boost broadband adoption in Minnesota. One of the grants was awarded to the Blandin Foundation
Minnesota - C.K. Blandin Foundation: $4.9 million sustainable broadband adoption grant with an additional $1.5 million applicant-provided match to launch the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities initiative, a multi-sector, comprehensive approach to sustainable broadband adoption targeting residents, small businesses, local governments, and critical services providers in each of Minnesota’s 80 rural counties. The project anticipates training as many as 2,500 individuals in computer literacy, online education, and workforce development, and plans to distribute 1,000 affordable refurbished computers. Funding will also support the development of institutional broadband applications for schools and healthcare facilities to help increase broadband adoption. (Learn more)
It has been exciting to be a part of the process of developing the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) initiative and I am looking forward to helping to deployment the plan. Specifically, as Blandin reports, we will be focusing on the following…
The BTOP grant will be used to leverage resources of coalition partners to extend small business technical assistance and training, expand hours for access to workforce centers, distribute refurbished computers, train individuals and business, create courses for knowledge workers, bring to Minnesota an online network of care for mental health workers, etc.
Eleven communities throughout rural Minnesota also will receive up to $100,000 each to develop and demonstrate broadband projects through the grant. These “demonstration communities” are Benton County, Cook County, Grand Rapids/Itasca County, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Stevens County, Upper Minnesota Valley region, Thief River Falls, Willmar/Kandiyohi County, Winona, Windom and Worthington.
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Posted on March 24th, 2010 by Bill Coleman
Today the Minnesota Legislature passed the Minnesota Broadband Bill. Here are the highlights:
Universal access and high-speed goal. It is the goal of this state that, no later than 2015, all state residents and businesses have access to broadband that provides download speeds of no less than ten megabits per second and upload speeds of no less than five megabits per second.
State broadband leadership position. It is the goal of this state that by 2015, and continuing thereafter: (1) the proportion of Minnesota residents and businesses having access to broadband ranks among the five states in the United States and the 15 nations globally that have the highest proportion of that measure; and (2) Minnesota ranks among the five states in the United States with the highest broadband speed that is universally accessible to state residents and businesses.
Annual reports. By February 10, 2011, and each year thereafter, the commissioner of commerce shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees with primary jurisdiction over telecommunications policy measuring the progress made towards achieving the goals under subdivisions 1 and 2. The report must identify any barriers impeding the achievement of the goals, suggest strategies to overcome those barriers, and estimate the cost of implementing those strategies.
Advisory group. By July 1, 2010, the commissioner of commerce shall appoint and convene a broadband advisory group consisting of no more than 15 members representing suppliers and users of broadband goods and services. Members serve without compensation at the pleasure of the commissioner. The broadband advisory group shall meet at the call of the chair, and shall seek public input. The broadband advisory group shall advise the commissioner of commerce and the house of representatives and senate committees with primary jurisdiction over telecommunications policy regarding strategies to achieve the goals under subdivision 1. This subdivision expires June 30, 2015.
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Posted on March 15th, 2010 by Bill Coleman
CTAC is part of a team that is working with Ramsey County to apply for ARRA broadband stimulus funding. The project took a giant step forward last week when the St Paul City Council voted to approve the the Office of Technology and Communications to submit an ARRA NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program grant request.
The project will bring a fiber network to government agencies throughout Ramsey County as well as open up dark fiber to local Internet service providers so that they in turn can offer faster broadband service to area residents and businesses. It’s an opportunity to streamline government processes and improve the market offerings through a public-private partnership.
You can learn more in a recent article from the Pioneer Press or the Minnesota Fiber Exchange web site.
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Posted on March 11th, 2010 by Bill Coleman
CTAC is working with Dakota County on their play for the Google Gb.
Dakota Future, Dakota County CDA and our Dakota County communities will be seeking the Google Gb fiber network investment for Dakota County. Google Gb would bring $300 million of private sector investment to Dakota County, attract new tech-savvy residents and help Dakota County become a magnet for innovative companies.
You can show your support by joining the Dakota Future Fiber Facebook and LinkedIn groups and checking out the www.dakotafuturefiber.com web site.
More information is available online.
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Posted on February 28th, 2010 by Bill Coleman
CTAC President Bill Coleman was recently quoted on Minnesota Public Radio for a story on Google’s Network competition. Here is what he said about the benefits of a ultra high speed broadband connection, such as the one Google is proposing…
The network would be 10 times faster than today’s state-of-the-art networks, such as a 100-megabit system in Lafayette, La. It could dramatically expand the way people communicate, said Bill Coleman, director of Community Technology Advisors in Mahtomedi, which advised Duluth.
“That kind of network would allow a teacher to be in a classroom, really anywhere, and have high-definition broadcast out to students sitting in their homes doing that kind of work,” Coleman said. “So, it could really transform a community. And I think the companies that create those applications would flock to the winning community, to roll out those applications in kind of a test laboratory.”
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