‘We have work to do’: What to know about the state of Minnesota’s high-speed internet infrastructure

The last two years have been pivotal ones for the future of high-speed internet access in Minnesota. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the lack of broadband in many parts of the state as people shifted to remote work and school. Congress poured unprecedented amounts of money into subsidizing construction of new infrastructure like fiber-optic cables in Minnesota and across the country. Meanwhile, fresh data from state officials shows Minnesota actually has fewer households with high-speed internet than previously thought, and has not met a 2022 goal for offering universal access to broadband with modest speeds. A draft copy of a yearly update is currently being finalized by a Minnesota broadband task force. MinnPost highlights points from the preliminary report and information from broadband advocates about the state of internet infrastructure in Minnesota.