Annandale managed to get an earmark for broadband funding in legislation this year, but Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the bill, asking for more money for rural broadband but objecting to the city’s special treatment. Read more →
MPR News How communities are facing the future
Broadband
All the money must go to projects that will provide high-speed Internet access to areas that have no or poor service. Read more →
The state’s task force advising Gov. Mark Dayton on high speed Internet access has told the administration it should seek another $200 million in next year’s legislative session. Read more →
The rural broadband gap persists in Minnesota, but new measures show some parts of the state making gains, partly because of federal stimulus money and partly because of other service provider improvements. Read more →
Minnesota legislators agreed to spend $20 million on broadband infrastructure, creating a system for communities to propose projects and supply matching money. Read more →
The Federal Communications Commission is exploring how to pay for extending broadband service in rural areas, and more than 60 projects in Minnesota have been proposed by communities around the state. Read more →
Gov. Dayton joins the call to spend money on broadband infrastructure. So far, the House wants to spend $25 million; the Senate has not approved any spending. Read more →
Broadband adoption continues to rise slowly among Minnesotans, and the gap between rural and urban use is shrinking. But more than 100,000 school-age children do not have access at home. Read more →
For the first time, legislators are proposing to put state money into broadband infrastructure. Read more →
How much difference does access to and use of broadband make? A lot. Read more →