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Fast, affordable Internet access for all.
Monticello Shows Rural Does Not Have to Lag Urban Broadband
By
on
Two weeks ago, we released an analysis showing that the private broadband providers in the Twin Cities of Minnesota could not keep up with the small, community fiber network in nearby Monticello.
Minnesota Public Radio covered it with a brief post and Ann Treacy at Blandin on Broadband also wrote about it, adding a key observation after comparing its findings to that of a recent Small Business Administration report showing that rural businesses pay more for broadband in general.
The quick answer is that it appears as if generally rural access is more expensive – but that doesn’t need to be the case – as demonstrated by Monticello. Communities who are interested in pursuing municipally-directed network might make talking to Monticello one of their first steps. Monticello has been very generous with information on their strategy and deployment.
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