Broadband Goals Proposed In Minnesota

A Minnesota task force has recommended that high-speed broadband be offered throughout the state in a program that could be a model for a nationwide broadband plan. The task force report, released Friday, envisions Minnesota jumping from its 24th position in broadband access to a position among the top 5 states. The move could propel the state to national and global leadership in economic growth and increased quality-of-life opportunities. "Minnesota's Ultra High-Speed Broadband Report" examined the state's rural areas as well as its 59-square mile Wi-Fi network in Minneapolis, one of the few successful Wi-Fi municipal networks in the US. "Broadband Internet is the next generation of economic and quality-of-life infrastructure investment, like rural electrification and highways were for previous generations," said task force chairman Rick King, who is chief technology officer for Thomson Reuters Legal.

The Blandin Foundation, a Minnesota-based rural community advocacy organization, questioned whether the speeds recommended were high enough and whether the proposed deployment was affordable. "More emphasis should be placed on the need to design and implement financial tools to incent service in Minnesota's remaining un- and under-served areas," Blandin said in an analysis of the task force's work. The foundation praised the report, but asked for more advances.