Facts and stories about broadband in MInneosta.

1. Broadband in our Lives
Did you know?

2. Where do you want to live?
Green areas have fiber
Pink areas do not

3. “The broadband was so poor,
I couldn’t update software on
my computer. The service
technicians had to take my
computer to another location
to download Microsoft
Office.”
Jean Spaulding, Willmar

4. How long is ROI on broadband in rural
areas? (10 years!)
What is the ROI hurdle for private
industry? (3 years!)

5. “Changes in curriculum require
broadband.”
Troy Anderson, ISD 728 (Sherburne)

6. invested in broadband infrastructure
and adoption in Minnesota =
$10 returned in direct and spinoff impacts to the
local economy.
~Strategic Network Group Study, 2014

7. Dakota County has reduced its annual
telecom bills from $700,000 to
$15,000 by building their fiber
network and having the state manage
the system.

8. Minnesota Ranks 21
Rank State Average Broadband Speed (Mbps)
1 DC 19.5
2 Delaware 18.5
3 Utah 16.2
4 Massachusetts 16.2
5 Rhode Island 15.7
21 Minnesota 12.9

9. “Lack of broadband is hurting our youth
hockey! Prospective parent volunteers aren’t
able to do the online training to be coaches.”
Traci Gangl, hockey mom in Grand Rapids

10. Minimum CAF2 standard is
10 Mb/1 Mb
compared to proposed new
100/20 state standard.

11. “Our customer base is worldwide and we rely on
the Internet for 100 percent of our customers. Our
growth would not be possible without the
Internet.”
Dennis Johnson
Natural Space Domes
Chisago County

12. Wi-Fi networks provide only the last few
feet of a network; the rest relies on
wireline.

13. “It’s hard to do Township work
without broadband. ”
~ Patty Bauchard, Ripley Township

14. Fiber networks are up to 35% cheaper to
maintain than copper networks. They do
not break as easily, and last longer than
copper wires.

15. People want to move to
our area, but can’t
because of the lack of
Internet service.”
Patty Bauchard Ripley Township

16. A high-speed internet connect can
increase an average home’s value by
about $5,440.

17. “ A business won’t start up or expand
if there’s not broadband access.”
Matt Kilian, President, Brainerd Lakes Area
Chamber of Commerce

18. “We’d be much better stewards of the land if we
had better broadband technology.”
~ presenter at Farm fest

19. “We can take health care to the next level
when we have broadband access.”
~ Bryan Linnick, Redwood Area Hospital

20. markets its 25 Mbps
download speeds as its “starter” service.
recommends 40
Mbps as the “right” bandwidth for a tech savvy
family.

21. How far can a Gig go?
On Copper (300 feet) On Fiber (35 miles)