IMPACT 20/20 Releases Study on Business Broadband Use

The IMPACT 20/20 Taskforce for Broadband and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation recently released a study on business broadband use within northwest Minnesota. There were two reasons the study was seen as important: (1) the taskforce wanted a better understanding of the role broadband is currently playing among the region's businesses; and (2) they wanted to identify best practices currently being used, and subsequently, to share those best practices with the broader business community. In sharing the information, the hope of the taskforce is that individual businesses within the region will be inspired to try new methods that others have found to be effective and that policy makers will be reminded of the important role broadband plays in northwest Minnesota's rural economy. Read more...

Minnesota Businesses Earn $38 Billion Annually in Online Sales

ST. PAUL, MN – Connect Minnesota today released the results from its new 2013 Business Technology Assessment that measures how businesses in Minnesota are using technology, and its potential for maximizing revenue opportunities and sustaining economic vitality in the state.

Among the key findings:

• 24% of Minnesota businesses, or more than 34,000 businesses statewide, do not use broadband service, down from 27% in 2011
• 30% of all Minnesota businesses allow their employees to telework
• More than one in three Minnesota businesses (38%) earn revenue from online sales, and
• Statewide, online sales account for $38 billion in business revenue annually

“Broadband adoption and use is a vital component to keep Minnesota businesses – and our state’s economy as a whole – growing and competitive,” said Connect Minnesota Program Manager Bill Hoffman. “As more businesses adopt high-speed Internet service, the benefits of the technology will be leveraged to increase revenues, streamline operational costs, and allow greater flexibility for employers and employees. We must, however, be sure that our workforce is adequately skilled to compete in an global economy where technology is ubiquitous; and our data show that close to 40% of  Minnesota businesses are struggling to find employees adequately trained in the use of various technological applications.”

The report is based on a telephone survey of 801 business establishments across the state. Connect Minnesota invites you to explore and examine the survey results by clicking the link here and, most importantly, share the results.

Faster broadband speeds linked to higher income levels, says Ericsson report

Faster broadband speeds linked to higher income levels, says Ericsson report

IMPACT 20/20 Taskforce for Broadband Conducting Business Study

The IMPACT 20/20 Taskforce for Broadband is in the process of studying the best practices of a handful of highly successful businesses in the northwest region of Minnesota.

Taskforce members hand selected a variety of businesses that had - in some way - demonstrated success in their implementation and use of broadband.

Plans are to release the full report before the end of the year.  Early findings indicate that the use of broadband and the many tools it affords, has had an enormous impact on business success, including increasing scope of market, gaining more customers, increasing profits, and increasing efficiency.

Stay tuned...

Rural Broadband Policy Group Highlights

The Rural Broadband Policy Group is a growing national coalition of rural broadband advocates that emerged from the 2008 convening of the National Rural Assembly. This coalition recognizes the need for improved access and use of broadband in rural America, and it is working with policy makers, advocates, and local leaders to promote solutions.

The goals of the Rural Broadband Policy Group are:

1. To articulate national broadband policies that provide opportunities for rural communities to participate fully in the nation's democracy, economy, culture, and society. 
2. And to spark national collaboration among rural broadband advocates. 

Here is a brief recap of highlights and  of a few of their activities in 2012 and a look at what is underway for 2013, as reported in a recent e-newsletter:

•  RVCC Rural Broadband Tales -- Collected stories from Conservation and Natural Resources Practitioners about why they need high-speed Internet and the challenges they face in getting access. Watch the video stories here. 

•  Victory against Telephone Deregulation -- They expanded their state-level advocacy and got serious about making sure that powerful telcos did not cut rural people's phone lines. Working in collaboration with a broad coalition of dozens of consumers, low-income, elderly, and rural advocates including AARP, The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and Communications Workers of America (CWA), they engaged in extensive efforts across several states to defeat telephone deregulation bills. They defeated the harmful bills proposed in Kentucky and Ohio.

•  Blogging It Up! -- Rural Strategies' Summer Intern took it upon himself to share with his opinion about the value of a rural phone landline. Read blog here. Also, in collaboration with Media Literacy Project, they deconstructed a misleading AT&T add claiming they were serving rural Texas. Read here!

• True to our Rural Broadband Principle of prioritizing "Local Ownership and Investment in Community" they submitted comments to the California Public Utilities Commission encouraging them to open up the $50 million allocated in the California Advanced Services Fund to non-profits, municipalities, community organizations, co-ops, and local entities that can provide services to unserved areas and create local economic opportunities in rural.

For 2013, they are already planning webinars about the Impact of Telephone & Internet Deregulation on Rural Communities, comments to file at the FCC regarding AT&T's request to abandon rural telephone service, and more blogs about rural telehealth, the Internet & Conservation efforts, and what safety in an unreliable wireless world means for rural areas (especially when a natural disaster strikes). 

Governor's Taskforce on Broadband Releases Report and Recommendations

On September 14, 2012, the Governor's Task Force on Broadband released "Status Report and Policy Recommendations."  One of the State's goals is that "Universal access and high speed deployment as soon as possible, but no later than 2015 all state residents and businesses have access to broadband service that provides a minimum download speed of ten to twenty megabits per second and minimum upload speed of five to ten megabits per second."  

According to the report, very modest gains have been made in the last year. In October 2011, 57.4% of households had available broadband within the target speed range.  In April 2012, the percentage had increased to 59.92%.

The report contains a map showing  broadband service availability throughout the state, as well several recommendations.  Read more....

Rural and Wireless. Problem Solved?

Earlier earlier this month, Verizon announced its HomeFusion product, offering rural wireless Internet access faster than many urban residents have today and riding on the company's expanding 4G network. Is wireless the solution for connecting rural areas in Minnesota?  The answer is complicated.  Read more...