Download to read offline
Uploaded byAnn Treacy
Provider Partnership Strategies
This document outlines various partnership strategies for expanding broadband access in Minnesota. It describes partnerships between: 1) small and large internet providers and local governments like counties, townships, and economic development regions; 2) businesses contributing funds to connect their areas; and 3) tribes partnering with providers and federal agencies. Examples of successful partnerships providing broadband to unserved areas are provided. The document encourages organizing communities to identify interested areas and providers, demonstrating demand, and contributing funds to support applications for state broadband development grants.
More Related Content
Similar to Provider Partnership Strategies
Provider Partnership Strategies
- 1. Provider Partnership Strategies June25, 2019 Diane Wells 651-259-7613 diane.wells@state.mn.us Office of Broadband Development at DEED: https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/ 651-259-7610
- 2. Partners in theprogram • Small and large traditional telephone companies • Cable providers • Wireless ISPs • Electric cooperative • Broadband cooperative • K-12 service cooperative • Counties • Townships/Towns
- 3. Basic Partnership • NeighborhoodGroup Partners with Incumbent or Adjacent Provider—can make ROI work with grant • Otter Tail Telecom (8 awards, ranging from 21 to 110 locations) • Arvig serving neighborhood along North Sauk Lake • Sjoberg and Wikstrom—poll areas they are interested in serving • Mediacom along Pintar Road • Halstad serving Gentilly Township, Kertsonville • Runestone Telephone and Holmes City
- 4. Additional Basic PartnershipExamples • Albany serving Big Watab Lake • Gardonville Coop serving areas near Lake Louise, Country Estates, Pospisil Drive • Paul Bunyan into discrete areas of Itasca, St. Louis, Hubbard, Becker Counties
- 5. Partnership between Businessand Provider • Wikstrom and Beamco/Alvarado • Smallest project: 11 households and 1 business • Beamco contributed $14,500 • Grant was $43,481
- 6. Partnership between Townor Township and Provider • Sunrise Township with CenturyLink • Fish Lake Township with CenturyLink • City of Watson and Farmers Mutual Coop • Medina and Mediacom • Annandale and Midco • Wanamingo and Midco • Shamrock Township and SCI • Balaton and Woodstock Telco
- 7. Partnership between Countyand Provider • Big Stone County and Federated (county bonding repaid by provider partner) • Swift County and Federated (same as Big Stone) • Rock County and Alliance (county contribution plus provider contribution plus state grant) • Sherburne County working with provider (Palmer Wireless) to connect industrial parks, neighborhoods • Winona County working with provider (HBC) • Itasca County and Paul Bunyan (and IRRRB) • Nobles County with Lismore Telephone Coop.— combined FTTH and fixed wireless
- 8. County Partnerships (cont.) •Martin County with Frontier • Carlton County with Frontier • Aitkin County with MLEC and SCI (county grants) • Renville County with HBC/RS Fiber • Rural Grant, Stevens and Wilkin Counties with Advantenon • Pope County and Hanson Communications • Scott County and Jaguar • Pipestone County and Woodstock Telco • Meeker County and Meeker Electric
- 9. Partnership between Economic DevelopmentRegion and Provider • Region 5 with CTC and WCTA • Region 5 helped write grant applications • Assisted with pre-application expenses and in-kind contributions to cover ineligible expenses • Engineering firm covered preliminary engineering costs
- 10. Coop Participation • RSFiber formed specifically to provide broadband service in Renville and Sibley Counties • NESC in partnership with IRRRB and Frontier
- 11. Tribal Examples • Fonddu Lac—with state grant funding and also Community Connect and HUD Funding • Mille Lacs Band and SCI • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux and Nuvera • Prairie Island and HBC • White Earth and Garden Valley Telco
- 12. MN Border toBorder Broadband Development Grant • Grant purpose: To provide financial assistance for the acquisition and installation of middle-mile and last-mile broadband infrastructure to areas of the state that do not have wireline access at federal and state minimum standard speeds. • Allowable costs: Examples of allowable costs include: project planning; obtaining construction permits; purchase and/or construction of facilities, including construction of both “middle mile” and “last mile” infrastructure; and installation and testing of the equipment used to provide broadband service.
- 13. Partnership Strategies • Organize(at some level—neighborhood, township, county) to identify interest and project area • Identify possible providers to partner with—partner will determine technology type • Demonstrate demand (that project will have high take rate) • Financial contribution towards project?* • Work with provider partner on the application
- 14. Trends • New partnershipconfigurations – Multiple financial participants including private, local governments, federal and state – Electric cooperatives partnering with telephone companies • New technology configurations – Wireless is evolving and playing a bigger role – Promising hybrid models blending fiber and wireless