Second Round NTIA Computer Center Grant

We are very excited to announce the approval of the Leech Lake Business Committee Computer Center grant.  This $1.7 million grant will bring new and improved computer centers to Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth Bands that will focus on bringing computer skills to the youth and entrepreneurs residing in these communities.  Some of the reasons I believe the grant was approved include:

1. Partnership between Bands-the ability to make an award that will serve three traditionally underserved Tribal communities
2. Support Partners-by utilizing the Boys and Girls Clubs to manage the computer centers and provide youth training plus Bemidji State University providing business training the computers won’t just be put in place but also have programs that will utilize the facilities and create educational programs that raise the bar for Tribal residents
3. Meet the FCC commitment to better serve tribal communities-while the FCC was not involved in the decision process this program will definitely assist in reaching these communities.

It was my pleasure to work with Bill Coleman and Kelly Peterson on the application and I greatly appreciate the assistance from Boys and Girls Clubs, Bemidji State University and Tribal Leaders and Staff.

Connecting Rural America: a report from the USDA

A new report (Connecting Rural America) is out on the outcomes of the RUS-funded ARRA projects. According to the report…

So far, the more than $1 billion in funding awarded by RUS has been used to fund 68 projects in 31 states. During a conference call with reporters, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the projects will bring broadband service to an estimated 529,249 households, 92,754 businesses and 3,332 so-called “anchor” institutions, such as schools, hospitals, libraries and other community facilities.

Minnesota’s Windom project is one of nine featured projects…

Minnesota
The city of Windom, Minn., a member of the Southwest Minnesota Broadband Group (SWMBG), will provide Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure to eight rural communities in southwestern Minnesota. SWMBG includes the communities of Jackson, Lakefield, Windom, Round Lake, Bingham Lake, Brewster, Wilder, Heron Lake, and Okabena. The network will consist of a 125-mile fiber ring that will connect the communities to the Windomnet network and an FTTP infrastructure within the communities. The ring will be 96 strands with a 1-gigabyte transport network that is easily upgradeable to 10 gigabytes.

The report also gives brief summaries of all funded projects listed by state.

First Round and Second Round Converge?

As we work with Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services on their first round approved application it looks like 2011 will be a very busy year for equipment and material vendors and construction contractors in 2011.  Most first round winners will not really start significant construction until 2011 (especially those of us in the northern half of the United States); at the same time second round applications are to be awarded by September 30th, 2010 giving those winners significant time to be ready for the 2011 construction season.

So what does this mean, contractors and materials could be in short supply in 2011.  We are working to make sure we have an adequate pipeline with our clients in 2011 to ensure we can meet the dates and expectations of the customers waiting to use the network.

Also check out the Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services website at www.swmbg.org for more information on the project.

Round 2 Applications Submitted!!

So this is it; the last day to submit round 2 applications.  I wanted to update you all what we have been working on for round 2.

1. Headwaters Tribal Alliance Computer Centers-got the fortune of working with Bill Coleman and Kelly Peterson on this application to bring over 250 computers to communities across the Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth Reservations.  More details on the infrastructure work we have been doing in the area later.
2. TDS-we assisted with eight of the environmental studies for TDS who wins the award for most apps submitted I know of-46.
3. Ramsey County Broadband Coalition-our CLEC subsidiary, Minnesota Fiber Exchange, was chosen as the partner for this project.  A 145 mile $35 million project that would connect anchor institutions across Ramsey County.  Minnesota Fiber Exchange would operate a dark fiber network for network providers if approved.  Thanks to the team from Ramsey County and St. Paul, especially Jim Farstad, Tarkus, Mike Reardon and Matt Schmidt who we all spent too much time on conference calls with over the last few weeks.
4. Lake and St. Louis County-as part of our association with National Public Broadband we submitted a $68 million application to bring FTTP to Lake County and the Eastern portion of St. Louis County.
5. Farmers Telephone and Lac qui Parle FTTP project-this project would bring a $9.8 million network to the remainder of the County unserved by Farmers Telephone.  A great partnership between local government and telecom provider.
6. Baldwin Telecom and Town of Troy Wisconsin.  A $9.9 million FTTP network to bring services to the Town of Troy Wisconsin.  Great partnership between local government and telecom provider.

I hope to be updating you on the status of successful applications over the next few months.  I want to thank all of those who worked with us on our projects.  I am lucky to be associated with such a group of professionals.  A special thanks to Brian Estrem, Paavo Pyykkonen and Jim Webb for their positive attitudes and counsel.

Two Minnesota awards in latest ARRA award announcements

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. The grants will fund projects that lay the groundwork to bring enhanced high-speed Internet access to thousands of households and businesses and link hundreds of schools, hospitals, libraries, and public safety offices to the information superhighway.

Here are the projects that will have a direct impact on Minnesota

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)

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas – Mission Economic Development Agency: $3.7 million public computer center grant with an additional $2.5 million applicant-provided match to create 12 new public computer centers and expand five existing ones in Phoenix, Ariz.; Canoga Park, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Calif.; Del Norte, Colo.; Blackfoot, Idaho; Wheaton, Md.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Kansas City, Mo.; Anthony, NM; Philadelphia, Pa.; and San Antonio and Laredo, Texas. Each center expects to operate on the project’s centrally managed network and provide computer training and adult education to a low broadband adoption, high unemployment target population through a standardized English-Spanish training curriculum.

Minnesota broadband bill passes

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.

Minnesota regions get ARRA funding

Congrats to two more Minnesota regions on getting ARRA broadband funding. Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of broadband infrastructure projects to give rural residents in 8 states access to improved economic and educational opportunities. Here is more information on the two projects from Minnesota that received funding…

Minnesota

• Northeast Service Cooperative: The Northeast Minnesota Middle Mile Project; $21,749,110 loan and $21,749,110 grant. The funding will provide middle-mile, dark fiber, wavelength services to private-sector providers in rural areas of northeast Minnesota.
• Minnesota Valley Television Improvement Corporation: The Minnesota Wireless Expansion Project; $562,776 loan and $562,776 grant, and $281,388 of private investment. The funding will provide a two-way broadband internet network to unserved and underserved areas of west central and south central Minnesota, providing 34 additional wireless (WiMAX) access points.

We’re pleased to see more local projects get funded and hope we’ll see more added to the list for this round and next!

SWMBG on TV

Fox 12 out of Mankato has featured the Southwest Minnesota Broadband Group and their recent funding from the ARRA, congratulating the group for being in an elite group of funded projects. They offer some reason the group may have been successful…

But [Jackson Mayor Mitch] Jasper says the things that helped out the Windom-Jackson group the most were the large tie-in with all the communities, a proven model in Windom’s fiber optic network, and some help in Washington. Jasper says, “The only reason this happened was because of Senator Amy Klobachar. She was the driving force in Washington that went to bat for our group.”

National Broadband Plan is out

The National Broadband Policy was unveiled today. It calls out five main goals:

Goal No. 1: At least 100 million U.S. homes should have affordable access to actual download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and actual upload speeds of at least 50 megabits per second.

Goal No. 2: The United States should lead the world in mobile innovation, with the fastest and most extensive wireless networks of any nation.

Goal No. 3: Every American should have affordable access to robust broadband service, and the means and skills to subscribe if they so choose.

Goal No. 4: Every American community should have affordable access to at least 1 gigabit per second broadband service to anchor institutions such as schools, hospitals and government buildings.

Goal No. 5: To ensure the safety of the American people, every first responder should have access to a nationwide, wireless, interoperable broadband public safety network.

Goal No. 6: To ensure that America leads in the clean energy economy, every American should be able to use broadband to track and manage their real-time energy consumption

The FCC outlines a 4-prong approach to reaching those goals:

1. Establishing competition policies. Policymakers, including the FCC, have a broad set of tools to protect and encourage competition in the markets that make up the broadband ecosystem: network services, devices and applications and content. The plan contains multiple recommendations that will foster competition across the ecosystem.

2. Ensuring efficient allocation and use of government-owned and government-influenced assets. Government establishes policies for the use of spectrum and oversees access to poles, conduits, rooftops and rights-of-way, which are used in the deployment of broadband networks. Government also finances a large number of infrastructure projects. Ensuring these assets and resources are allocated and managed efficiently can encourage deployment of broadband infrastructure and lower barriers to competitive entry. The plan contains a number of recommendations to do accomplish these goals.

3. Creating incentives for universal availability and adoption of broadband. Three elements must be in place to ensure all Americans have the opportunity to reap the benefits of broadband. All Americans should have access to broadband service with sufficient capabilities, all should be able to afford broadband and all should have the opportunity to develop digital literacy skills to take advantage of broadband.

4. Updating policies, setting standards and aligning incentives to maximize use for national priorities. Federal, Tribal, state and local governments play an important role in many sectors of our economy. Government is the largest health care payor in the country, operates the public education system, regulates many aspects of the energy industry, provides multiple services to its citizens and has primary responsibility for homeland security. The plan includes the recommendations designed to unleash increased use, private sector investment and innovation in these areas.

Update on SWMBG on MPR

The SWMBG project continues to get good press. Our good fortunate was highlighted in a recent story on Minnesota Public Radio; the story also spoke of many of our colleagues around the state who have not been as fortunate with their proposals.

The story featured Wilder resident Tom Myrvold who talked about his issues with satellite service. It’s great when it works, but it has not been reliable for him. He gets services from a communications dish on a grain elevator five miles away. Weather conditions can hinder access and he has to trim back tree branches every year to make sure that the line of sight isn’t hindered.

Fiber will bring him not only faster speeds, but more importantly reliability.