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7 Telecommunications issues in the 2010 legislative session By Steve Downer Telecommtunications and municipal uitous high-speed broadband service The task force reconmmendations involvement in the field promise to be in Minnesota,"noting investments also included the following goals: issues in the 2010 Minnesota legisla- need to be made by various public • Minnesota should have high-speed tive session. and private sector entities,including broadband coverage to every home Sheldon Johnson,chairman of the use of federal resources and munici- and business as soon as possible but House Telecommunications Regula- pal investment,and urges a study to no later than 2015. tion and infrastructure Division,said develop a wide-ranging collabora- • `Bare minimum"speeds of 10-20 during a Dec. 1 telecom forum at the tive funding strategy to support the Megabits per second (Mbps) down- University of Minnesota Humphrey report's recommendations.it also urges load and 5-10 Mbps (upload) for all Institute that state telecom statutes the encouragement and facilitation of residents of the state by 2015. are outdated and that he expected partnerships,while miinimiizing barri- • The Federal Communications bills relating to statewide cable fran- crs to right-of-way or casement access Commission should adopt a higher chising and cable build-out require- and facilitating cooperation on open standard for the definition of broad- ments to be heard during the 2010 trenches and broadband development. band than the current definition of Legislature.Johnson also commented Cities were represented on 768 kilobits per second (kbps). that the election referendum require- the task force by Two Harbors The task force also suggested ments that require a 65 percent plu- Councilmember Chris Swanson,a financial incentives (including sales rality to authorize cities to offer local local businessman and Internet service or property tax exemptions and exchange telephone service"will provider,and Tom Garrison,direc- income or sales tax credits) to support come up strong again,"following a for of communications for the City of both the supply and demand sides of successful referendum in Monticello. Eagan.Swanson and Garrison termed broadband as well as detailed recom- (The state Court of Appeals in that the findings of the task force a solid mendations to enhance security and case ruled that broadband Internet win for municipal and public interests. redundancy of the existing infrastruc- seivice is a utility and that cities have The task force also found that ture.Another key task force recoum- authority to finance the design and broadband access to the Internet is mendation is creation of a Broadband construction of local telecomnnunica- not just a communication system; Advisory Council for Minnesota tions infrastructure.) it is also a transportation system.As to oversee the actions put forth in The legislative panel at the forum with roads,electricity,and telephone, the report and to pursue actions to also discussed highlights of the report broadband has become an economic achieve that the task force objectives of the Minnesota Ultra High-Speed and social necessity.Online education, are achieved. Broadband Task Force that was pre- telemedicine,and telecommuting give For more information,contact sented to the Legislature in November broadband users the capability of per- Ann Higgins,LMC,at ahiggins@ at a joint hearing of the House Tele- forming functions remotely that have lmc.org or(651) 281-1257. coin Division and the Senate Energy, traditionally been done in person,said Utilities,Technology and Communi- task force chairman Rick King,who Steve Downer is associate executive director cations Committee.The panel signaled is also the chiefoperating officer of of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Asso- support for the proposal. Thompson Reuters.Statewide access ciation (MMUA),an L.MC,affiliate o%z- The task force report points out to high speed broadband will allow nization.This article originally appeared in that"a successful relationship between these services to reach more people the December issue of The Resource,the o{li- the public sector and the private sec- for a lower cost,and with a lower tial MMUA monthly publication.Reprinted for is critical in order to achieve ubiq- impact to the environment. with permission. Page 6 LMC Cities Bulletin January 6, 2010