released recetnly, our state ranked a disappointing seventh-slowest in the nation. Ouch. Average download speeds here of 164.68 Mbps fall far short of the U.S. average of 214. Delaware leads the way with an admirable clip of nearly 247 Mbps.<\/p>\n
Minnesota\u2019s poor showing is despite the reality that, \u201cInternet access is no longer a luxury,\u201d as Sage Singleton of HighSpeedInternet.com wrote in releasing the report to news outlets, including to the News Tribune Opinion page. \u201cIt\u2019s a necessity for everyday life, from remote work and school to streaming, telehealth, and small business operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Minnesota Opinion editorial<\/p>\n
Forum News Service graphic<\/p>\n
Indeed. But Minnesotans who may be feeling left behind can take solace that much continues to be done at the state Capitol in St. Paul and in Washington, D.C., in the name of boosting speeds and connectivity here and getting more of us online, especially in rural areas, like so much of the Northland.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota \u2014 regardless of their zip code,\u201d Minnesota\u2019s U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, among those working to address broadband in our state, said in a statement the same day as the report was released.<\/p>\n
Klobuchar was alerting the press not about the report but about the latest piece of legislation to address the problem: the Senate\u2019s passage of the bipartisan Rural Broadband Protection Act. If signed into law, it would require the Federal Communications Commission to do a better job of vetting internet providers to ensure they can deliver reliable broadband to underserved and rural communities. In accordance with the act, stepped-up vetting would kick in when providers apply for federal funding. Klobuchar and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, are the drivers behind the act.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help Americans connect to work, school, health care, and business opportunities by ensuring the companies that apply for federal funding to build out broadband infrastructure can get the job done,\u201d stated Klobuchar, co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus. \u201cI\u2019ll keep fighting to close the digital divide and ensure Minnesota families can reliably access the high-speed internet they need.\u201d<\/p>\n
That legislation builds on Klobuchar\u2019s 2021 Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which expanded high-speed internet nationwide. She also has long supported the Universal Service Fund, which promotes access to broadband and other telecommunications services and supports connecting more rural schools, libraries, and health care facilities.<\/p>\n
Closer to home in St. Paul, Minnesota lawmakers this past legislative session addressed broadband on a number of fronts. They considered the <\/p>\n
Equal Access to Broadband Act<\/a><\/p>\n , which would allow cities to franchise broadband providers, making the deployment of broadband more equitable statewide, especially in rural and underserved areas. They considered pouring $100 million into the state\u2019s <\/p>\n Border-to-Border Broadband Program<\/a><\/p>\n and <\/p>\n