MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF 85 7th Place East, Suite 600 < COMMERCE St, Paul, Minnesota § & October 14, 2009 Lawrence E. Strickling ‘Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information USS. Department of Commerce ‘National Telecommunications and Information Administration US. Department of Commerce/NTIA Herbert C. Hoover Building (HCHB) 1401 Constitution Avenue NW ‘Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Secretary Strickling: Thank you for the opportunity for the State of Minnesota to provide comments to the NTIA regarding the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) applications that have been submitted for projects in Minnesota. Itis our understanding that the NTTA has allocated funding for three project types: public computing centers, sustainable broadband adoption projects, and infrastructure. Because there are three categories of funding available, we have decided to forward to the NTIA the top ranking projects we found for Minnesota in each category. Minnesota would like to note, however, that projects that enable residents in Minnesota to access broadband (ce. infrastructure projects) should be given the greatest consideration. This priority is based on the work of the Minnesota Ultra High Speed Broadband Task Force, which will be submitting a report to the Governor and Legislature in November 2009, and which lists ubiquitous broadband coverage to every Minnesotan as its top recommendation. While we obviously support all projects that bring the benefits of broadband to ‘Minnesota residents, the following projects are particularly meritorious. First, in the category of infrastructure, there are two projects that would enhance the delivery of broadband to areas of the state that lack ubiquitous access. The Southern Minnesota Broadband Initiative proposal by Telecom Transport Management (ITM) Operating Corporation, Inc. would provide middle mile facilities to a very large area of southern Minnesota. Two of the four major national wireless providers have already publicly endorsed this project. The TTM project would also provide fiber facilities to ‘connect directly to community anchor institutions, many of which have filed letters in support of the project. Enforcement: 1.800.657.3602 Licensing: 1.800.657.3978 Energy Information: 1.800.657.3710 Unclaimed Property: 1.800.925.5668 www.commerce.state.mn.us An Equal Opportunity EmployerLawrence E. Strickling October 13, 2009 Page Two The other infrastructure project that the team believes would be very beneficial to the state is the Northeast Minnesota Middle Mile project proposed by the Northeast Service Cooperative which covers an area in northern Minnesota that is geographically very difficult to serve, Of the eight counties covered under this proposal, three have broadband availability of 60% or less, well below the 94% statewide availability rate. For the sustainable broadband adoption and public computing center categories, the state recommends the proposals submitted by the C.K. Blandin Foundation and the University of Minnesota, respectively. The Blandin Foundation proposal will focus on rural areas of the state with its Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities project. The Blandin Foundation has well documented experience in working with rural communities since 2003 to improve the telecommunications/broadband experience and infrastructure. The Regents of the University of Minnesota public computing center project, the Broadband Access Project, would target low income and immigrant groups, two documented underserved populations. Again, we appreciate the opportunity to provide you with the recommendations for the State of Minnesota regarding BTOP projects. The enormity and difficulty of the review that you are undertaking is daunting, but we trust that you will give due consideration to the results of the evaluative process undertaken by those within the state who have an understanding of the status of broadband in Minnesota and what is most needed. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the recommendations in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact me at 651/296-6025 or via email at glenn.wilson@state.mn.us. Sincerely, hat’ COMMISSIONER: c: Honorable Tim Pawlenty Ian Martinez, National Telecommunications and Information Administration