04/17/2009 - Broadband CommitteeW.
5 paragraphs assignment
Minnesota Ultra High Speed Broadband Task Force
Tom Garrison, Metro Cities Representative
April 17, 2009
Speed & Connections of Critical Infrastructure
1. If Minnesota is serious about achieving ultra high speed broadband, we must acknowledge that
fiber optic delivery is the only known system today capable of two-way symmetrical
transmission. While remaining open to other technical advances that can achieve higher speeds
or capacity, our goal by 2015 should be full fiber deployment to every home and business in the
state. Noting that Minnesota is rated today as 23`d in average Internet speeds, 25th in Unique IP
addresses per capita, and 26th in High Broadband IP's per capita, our goal must be to
dramatically improve connections, speeds and affordability of services. To become and remain
globally competitive in the emerging knowledge-based economy, and to position our state as a
center of innovation and employment, Minnesota's should adopt a goal of always being in the
top three states nationwide and among the top five locations in the world in average available
Internet speeds. These speeds and connections are both in the national and state interest, and
all means necessary must be pursued to achieve them. Broadband must also, therefore, be
defined in law as critical infrastructure.
Role of Government
2. Just as it does with all other forms of critical infrastructure (roads, bridges, airports, building
codes, electrical supply, telephone service, etc.), state government has a vital role to play in
terms of setting policy and regulations that are in the public interest and protect public safety.
Regarding improving the speeds, availability, and affordability of broadband services, public
entities should be treated no differently than private entities in their ability to provide
broadband services if that is the wish of their citizens. Most municipalities may have no interest
in the direct provision of service unless the market is unwilling or unable to provide the services
communities feel they need to survive and thrive in the global marketplace. The state should
recognize that no one size fits all and no singular tactic can achieve the state's broadband goals,
without all interested stakeholders—existing providers, new entrants, and communities of
interest—being able to pursue their economic future and broadband goals. Municipalities—
those closest to their citizens—have an important role to play in convening community
broadband conversations and planning with their local business community. Further,
municipalities have an important role to play in potentially spreading out the cost and speeding
up the timetable of broadband improvements by virtue of their bonding authority which can
.facilitate 20-30 year return on investments, rather than having to meet strict 1-3 year ROI.
Policymakers should consider utilizing this powerful tool by explicitly permitting public/private
partnerships that further ultra high-speed broadband goals. Just as cities have an interest in the
so-called "last mile" closest to them, the state has an indispensable interest in the necessary
"middle mile" connections to its citizens and localities that ensure both security and redundancy
in those essential connections, sustain business commerce and jobs, provide e -government
functions, and protect vital networks and data from outside vulnerability and attack.
Incentives
3. Where state or federal funding decisions are concerned, funding should be tiered so that public
investments give greater support to those projects which stimulate rapid deployment of ultra
high speed broadband and high capacity (next generation) networks. Lesser tier support should
go to lower bandwidth connectivity. (In other words, networks with delivered speeds to the
premise of > 100 Megabits/second, for example, deserve greater support than devoting limited
public resources to those with < 10 Megabits/second.) As has been noted by other experts,
incentives should not cover the full costs of broadband deployment, but should require
significant equity contributions by network owners to encourage responsibility and shared risk
in outcomes. Only in extraordinary circumstances, or for the greatest of public benefits, should
cost participation be waived. In addition, much in the way highway, railroad or airport
infrastructure systems are publicly funded so all stakeholders can benefit from their use, public
broadband investments should be geared to open networks over which many competitive
providers can ride, rather than closed-end networks serving a single provider. Government and
industry should consider funding for programs which increase broadband adoption rates in
Minnesota. The legislature should engage in a formal tax policy review to see what appropriate
tax breaks or other incentives can be provided to businesses willing to make investments to
meet state broadband speed, affordability, connectivity and broadband adoption goals, or who
partner with public entities to achieve these goals.
Affordability
4. This task force finds that United States citizens pay, on average, more per megabit of service
than citizens in most other industrialized nations of the world. The U.S. currently ranks no higher
than 15th on most international measures of price per megabit of service. It is recommended
Minnesota establish a data -driven Affordability Index and annually publish the results of which
providers have the most affordable broadband services. Further the state should consider
broadband access vouchers to defray the cost of broadband services for those who cannot
afford it. These vouchers could be paid for either by legislative appropriation or based on a
nominal per -subscriber fee assessed to all providers in the state.
State Broadband Advisory Council
5. The differences between states that move ahead on broadband goals and those which complete
reports that only gather dust is a suitable mechanism to implement strategic plans and a
demonstrated continuing commitment to such plans. It is essential to MN's economic future to
have an ongoing state body dedicated to implementing its strategic plans for broadband.
Minnesota should without delay enact a Minnesota Broadband Advisory Council with
membership similar to the Minnesota Ultra High Speed Broadband Task Force, with terms and
responsibilities set forth in statute and appropriate funding. At least other states have
broadband plans and advisory panels in place today. It is recommended that membership be
broadened to correct for two notable omissions in the current task force make-up: large
employer high tech businesses, and home-based or small company high-end users of broadband
services. Lastly, as technology changes over time or the challenges facing strategic
implementation of its broadband plan evolves, the Broadband Advisory Council should, at its
discretion, have the ability to fill at least one slot on its panel with a subject matter expert
capable of supporting its specific scope of work in any program year. The Broadband Advisory
Council duties should include, but not be limited to:
• A required biannual report to the Governor and Legislature on progress towards
reaching state broadband goals and, as needed, additional broadband policy
recommendations
• Authority to make recommendations on emerging broadband opportunities and
such other delegated duties as evaluating and granting funding as deemed
appropriate by policymakers (evaluating stimulus funding proposals, etc.)
• Coordinate cooperative efforts and state broadband planning to lower costs and
increase efficiencies in pursuit of the state's broadband goals
• Recommend to responsible authorities improvements to state building and
electrical codes in furtherance of ultra high speed broadband deployment and
high capacity use.
• Study and create statutory authority for Planning Commissions to require the
installation of broadband conduit as a condition of development and suggested
Comp Plan language in furtherance of broadband.
• Responsibility for creating recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on
code requirements describing when it is appropriate for Planning Commissions
to require the installation of broadband conduit as a condition of approval and
Local Comprehensive Guide Plan amendment language in furtherance of
broadband deployment
• Assess network vulnerability threats and the need for critical path redundancy.
• Assess Minnesota's progress toward meetings its ultra high speed broadband
goals
• Coordinate education efforts to raise the level of broadband usage.
• Create policies that will further broadband deployment including when the
trench is open
• Oversee of state broadband mapping efforts
