![\"Gigi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/sohn-gigi24.jpg\")
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sohn<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sohn<\/p>\n
Thank you, Barbara. Good morning! It\u2019s wonderful to be here in Minnesota, a state that has always prided itself on strong communities and local problem-solving.\u00a0 I\u2019m honored to be speaking alongside my friends Ry Marcatillio and Bree Maki.<\/p>\n
Before I begin, I want to introduce you to AAPB – the American Association for Public Broadband. We promote community networks by showcasing success stories and resources. We protect them from monopoly attacks. And we ignite new growth by linking communities with the mentors and expertise they need. Together, we\u2019re building broadband by the people, for the people. \u00a0AAPB is a membership organization, so please join us as we work to empower communities across the country.<\/p>\n
I want to start with a truth many of us already know; when it comes to federal efforts to close the digital divide, Minnesota has been left behind. Program after program has promised transformational change\u2014yet time and again, your communities are still waiting.<\/p>\n
Today, I want to offer both an honest assessment and a hopeful path forward. Because while Washington has failed you, Minnesota has the power\u2014and the track record\u2014to build its own broadband future.<\/p>\n
Federal Program Failures<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk first about the federal record.<\/p>\n
Launched in 2020, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund\u2014RDOF\u2014was supposed to be a $6 billion game-changer. But nearly one-third of RDOF projects defaulted nationwide. That means hundreds of thousands of families were promised service and got nothing. Here in Minnesota, the story is far worse. \u00a0ISPs defaulted on 80% of\u00a0 more than $400,000,000 in state RDOF funds and on 78% of the over 142,000 RDOF locations. These numbers are nothing less than tragic.<\/p>\n
Then came BEAD, the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. $42.5 billion. A once-in-a-generation opportunity. Congress made clear that states should prioritize infrastructure that could scale, last for decades, and support the technologies of tomorrow. The Biden Commerce Department determined that only fiber networks met that definition.<\/p>\n
But the Biden Administration didn\u2019t finish the job, and on June 6\u00a0of this year, the rules were rewritten by the new Administration. Technology neutrality replaced fiber-first. Cost took precedence over performance. Low-earth orbit satellite companies swooped in with bids as low as $700 a location\u2014numbers no fiber provider could match. The result? In Minnesota, 22,000 out of 76,000 eligible locations received no bids at all, because ten fiber providers dropped out rather than play a rigged game.<\/p>\n
Of the remaining locations in the state, just 58% will get fiber, while approximately 25% will get satellite and 17% fixed wireless. Let\u2019s be clear: the latter two aren\u2019t long-term solutions. Satellite is expensive, congested, and limited. Fixed wireless can\u2019t keep up with the demands of advanced applications. And for nearly a third of BEAD-eligible Minnesota households, there is no solution.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s not all. Congress didn\u2019t just fund deployment\u2014it also envisioned a future where leftover BEAD dollars could be reinvested in the things that make networks work for people: workforce development, digital literacy, adoption programs, streamlined permitting, public safety and new applications like AI. \u00a0These aren\u2019t luxuries; they\u2019re the essential supports that get networks built faster and ensure they\u2019re actually used.<\/p>\n
Yet instead of empowering states to stretch their deployment dollars and then redirect the savings to these critical efforts, the Commerce Department has made clear it will claw back the money. Whether through a rescission like Congress passed in July or by simply withholding funds\u2014just like it\u2019s doing with the $3 billion Digital Equity Act\u2014these resources are being locked away in Washington rather than put to work in Minnesota communities. Once again, promises made in the Infrastructure bill are being broken, and the people paying the price are the very families still waiting for a connection.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s be honest. The federal government has shown itself\u2014again and again\u2014incapable of implementing broadband programs that deliver robust, affordable networks for all Americans. Minnesota cannot keep waiting.<\/p>\n
The Case For Self-Help<\/p>\n
The good news is that Minnesota has a long history of self-help. When Washington has failed, when the market has failed, your communities have stepped up. \u00a0You\u2019ve built cooperatives, power systems, and water systems. Broadband should be no different.<\/p>\n
And in fact, it already isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Willmar<\/p>\n
Take Willmar. Years ago, when private providers refused to invest, the city built its own network. That took courage. And today, Willmar has doubled down\u2014planning a new $24.5 million open-access fiber project. This means that not just one provider, but many, will be able to serve homes and businesses over a shared city-owned fiber system.<\/p>\n
What does that mean in practice? It means families whose kids struggled through COVID with buffering Zoom classes, will finally have reliable service. It means entrepreneurs can now reach clients nationwide without worrying about upload speeds. And it means residents have choice\u2014true competition\u2014instead of the take-it-or-leave-it monopolies we\u2019ve come to expect.<\/p>\n
Southwest Broadband <\/p>\n
Now let\u2019s move to Southwest Minnesota. \u00a0Nine small towns realized they couldn\u2019t solve the broadband problem alone. So, they came together to create Southwest Broadband, a regional cooperative network.<\/p>\n
The impact has been extraordinary. Students in Worthington can attend virtual classes seamlessly. Farmers outside Jackson can use precision agriculture tools\u2014tracking soil health, applying fertilizer efficiently, saving money, and protecting the environment. Local clinics are expanding telehealth, so patients don\u2019t have to drive hours for routine appointments.<\/p>\n
Southwest Broadband is more than a network. It\u2019s a lifeline, built because communities refused to wait for someone else to save them.<\/p>\n
Dakota County<\/p>\n
Closer to the Twin Cities, Dakota County built one of the nation\u2019s first countywide fiber backbones. That backbone connects schools, libraries, city halls, and public safety facilities. The result? Students in Apple Valley can get online at their libraries. Police officers and firefighters can share lifesaving data in real time. And taxpayers save money because the county no longer pays private carriers year after year to lease lines.<\/p>\n
Scott County<\/p>\n
And then there\u2019s Scott County. Their countywide network didn\u2019t just make government more efficient\u2014it extended opportunity into neighborhoods that private carriers ignored. Small businesses now have the bandwidth to grow. Families have access to telehealth. Local government can deliver services faster, better, and at lower cost.<\/p>\n
These are not isolated experiments. They are part of a movement: over 700 communities nationwide have chosen to own their broadband infrastructure. They are all living proof: community-owned broadband works.<\/p>\n
The Broader Benefits of Community Networks<\/p>\n
And remember\u2014 community broadband is not just about fast internet. It\u2019s about transformation.<\/p>\n
When a community builds its own fiber network, the benefits ripple outward in powerful and measurable ways.<\/p>\n
First, economic development. Businesses today make decisions about where to locate based on infrastructure. Roads, water, and power still matter\u2014but high-capacity broadband is now at the top of the list. A manufacturer deciding between two towns will choose the one with reliable fiber that can support automation, logistics, and global communication. Hospitals expand services where fiber makes telehealth possible. Entrepreneurs launch startups in places they might otherwise overlook, because they can now serve customers anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n
Second, population growth and retention. Families want to live where opportunity is abundant, and quality of life is high. In rural Minnesota, young people are more likely to stay\u2014or move back\u2014if they know they can work remotely, take online classes, and build a life with the same digital resources they\u2019d have in the city. Broadband has become a cornerstone of livability, as critical as good schools and safe streets. Communities with fiber don\u2019t just keep their residents\u2014they attract new ones.<\/p>\n
Third, housing and real estate values. Studies show that fiber broadband can increase home values by 3\u20135 percent, sometimes more. Realtors will tell you that buyers now ask about internet speed as often as they ask about property taxes. A community with fiber is a community where homes sell faster and at higher prices\u2014strengthening the tax base and fueling local growth.<\/p>\n
Last, but not least, cost savings and new revenue streams. When a city leases lines from private telecom companies, it pays year after year with no equity to show for it. But when a city owns its network, those dollars stay local. Instead of sending profits to shareholders in another state, communities can reinvest savings into teachers, firefighters, and other public priorities. Utilities use fiber to detect water leaks and power outages before they become disasters, saving millions. Public safety agencies share data instantly, reducing response times and saving lives.<\/p>\n
A community-owned fiber broadband network can also be a source of new revenue. Local governments can lease excess fiber capacity to private providers, anchor institutions, or wireless companies, producing steady wholesale revenue. In addition, community networks can support smart-city applications\u2014such as traffic management, utility monitoring, or public safety systems\u2014that save money while opening opportunities for service contracts and partnerships. Over time, these revenue streams can reduce reliance on outside funding, lower taxes, and ensure that the economic benefits of broadband stay local. \u00a0A community network isn\u2019t just a cost\u2014it\u2019s an investment that pays dividends across the community.<\/p>\n
And fiber doesn\u2019t just connect\u2014it protects. With new fiber sensing technology, those same strands of glass can act as thousands of tiny guardians\u2014detecting accidents on roadways, warning crews before a backhoe cuts a line, even picking up the tremors of an earthquake or the sound of a gunshot. Fiber doesn\u2019t just carry data. It carries peace of mind.<\/p>\n
And perhaps most importantly for the future, fiber is the foundation for artificial intelligence. AI applications\u2014from precision agriculture to advanced manufacturing, from autonomous vehicles to telemedicine\u2014depend on moving massive amounts of data with speed and reliability. Only fiber has the bandwidth, low latency, and symmetrical speeds to power real-time decision-making at scale. Without robust fiber networks, the promise of AI will remain out of reach for most communities. With fiber, Minnesota communities can lead in deploying and benefiting from these transformative technologies.<\/p>\n
Community-owned fiber networks build stronger economies, more vibrant neighborhoods, healthier families, and more resilient communities. It creates places where people can live, work, and thrive.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s return to where we began. Federal broadband programs have failed the state. They promised a feast and delivered crumbs. But Minnesota doesn\u2019t need to wait. Minnesota knows how to help itself.<\/p>\n
The path forward is community broadband. Cities like Willmar. Coalitions like Southwest Broadband. Counties like Dakota and Scott. These aren\u2019t dreams. They are models, ready to be replicated across the state.<\/p>\n
Because broadband is not just infrastructure\u2014it\u2019s opportunity. It\u2019s fairness. It\u2019s security. And it\u2019s the foundation for the communities we dare to imagine.<\/p>\n
If Minnesota communities want to close its digital divide once and for all, they can\u2019t wait for Washington. They have to do it for themselves. And the good news is\u2014 they can.<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n
Gigi Sohn<\/a>\u00a0is the Executive Director of the\u00a0American Association for Public Broadband<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sohn Thank you, Barbara. Good morning! It\u2019s wonderful to be here in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7936,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[9132,922,9137,9133,9134,85,123,46,9135,9136,6379,125],"class_list":{"0":"post-7935","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-internet","8":"tag-access","9":"tag-broadband","10":"tag-community-networks","11":"tag-digital-divide","12":"tag-gigi-sohn","13":"tag-il","14":"tag-internet","15":"tag-israel","16":"tag-minnesota","17":"tag-public-networks","18":"tag-service","19":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7935\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}