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State Representative Sheldon Johnson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4201
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
Press/News Releases
LAWMAKERS & STAKEHOLDERS TO REVIEW BROADBAND TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
ST. PAUL, MN - Today the Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task Force will release recommendations to the State Legislature and Governor Tim Pawlenty regarding the creation of a statewide high-speed Internet access goal and a plan for implementation by 2015. The Broadband Task Force, chaired by Thomson Reuters COO Rick King, was created by legislation passed in April 2008, and has met 19 times since July of last year. King, representatives from Governor Pawlenty’s office, and key legislative committees will review the Task Force’s work. Lawmakers and key stakeholders agree these recommendations will play a crucial role in Minnesota’s economic recovery.
“If you want to run a successful business in a fast-paced 21st Century global economy, you need a modern, high-speed Internet connection," said Chair of the House Telecommunications Regulation and Infrastructure Division Rep. Sheldon Johnson (DFL - St. Paul). “Minnesota families and businesses shouldn’t be chained to a fossilized dial-up network - no matter where you live. But some areas of the state are still hooked up to Internet connections built nearly two decades ago. Worse, some have no connection at all.”
“We have allowed our internet access in Minnesota to lag for too long," said Chair of the Senate Utilities, Technology and Communications Committee Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-Duluth). “I appreciate the efforts of the experts on the Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task Force, and look forward to implementing their recommendations early this session in order to ensure all Minnesotans can have access to the internet connection they need.”
“It’s time to start thinking of broadband as a baseline utility accessible to every Minnesota home and business,” said Sen. John Doll (DFL - Burnsville) who serves as Vice-Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities, Technology, and Communications Committee. “Today’s competitive global market requires a reliable, high quality communications infrastructure. The work of the task force lays out recommendations that will both, raise our standard of living, and our ability to compete with any region in the world.”
Johnson and Doll argue Minnesota’s broadband shortcomings are a barrier to the state’s economic recovery. President Obama agrees. At the President’s request, the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) invested more than $7.2 billion in expanding access to broadband infrastructure in rural parts of the nation. The funds are being distributed nationwide through two competitive grants: the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).
“This is an area of our recovery the state and federal governments must work together on to achieve swift, sustainable solutions for underserved regions of our state,” said Sen. Doll.
“But Minnesota can’t be content to rely solely on federal grants,” Johnson said. “We need direct, aggressive action on the state level, working with business and industry, to ensure all corners of Minnesota have equal access to high-speed telecommunications infrastructure. The health of our economy, the future of Minnesota businesses, and our quality of life rely on it.”
The Broadband Task Force’s recommendations are extensive and detailed. Recommendations support a central set of objectives for improving Minnesota’s telecommunication infrastructure. Generally, the Task Force’s recommendations include:
• Minnesota should have ubiquitous High-Speed Broadband coverage as soon as possible, no later than 2015
• At a minimum, the Task Force recommends speeds of 10-20 megabits per second (download) and 5-10 mbps (upload) by 2015
• The Task Force believes Minnesota can and should be:
o In the top 5 states in the US for overall Internet speed
o In the top 5 states for broadband penetration
o In the top 15 globally for broadband penetration
Proposals are made in different areas, ranging from financial policies and incentives to organizational changes. In order to monitor the achievement of these results, the Task Force has also recommended the creation of a Broadband Advisory Council of Minnesota (BACM) to oversee the actions put forth in today’s report, and to ensure the objectives are achieved within the next five years.
“Broadband isn’t just a luxury anymore,” said Task Force Chair, Rick King. “It is an absolute necessity for both citizens and businesses. The recommendations we’ve put forward today will pave the way for a more modern, more competitive Minnesota economy. It is a blueprint for our state’s success and a roadmap for Minnesota’s long-term economic prosperity.”
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