Apparently they have a few slots left:
http://www.admin.state.mn.us/broadband_summit.html


------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: Steven Clift <clift@...>
Subject: Broadband
Date sent: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 09:50:02 -0500


I won't be able to make it. I am heading to NYC for a speech.

Perhaps you folks might be interested in distributing my opinion
below to folks putting together the conference? See below. In a
nutshell the state government must create a "Basic Broadband"
category of service like basic telephone or cable service.

I suggest a 256K "always-on" DSL or cable modem wired connection,
(where it is technically possible) with wireless fringe requirements
at the edge of DSL land as well, priced at $15.00 or so a month
including Internet access with one ISP-independent portable pop
e-mail account (just like with telephone service, the e-mail
equivalent to number portability is essential). Anything short of a
low entry price and all this talk about broadband for the masses is
100% pure fluff.

The hands off market approach and supposed competition has utterly
failed to deliver, particularly with current corporate scandals where

debts from mergers and acquisitions fundamentally threaten the
advancement of the communications infrastructure in our state.

The state cannot allow greed and irresponsible behavior to cement the

broadband digital divide across our state - the time for serious
state action is upon us (and this from a - let them compete kind of
guy). Clearly the price for basic broadband needs to be high enough
to for provider to generate a rate of return and the ability to
invest in the high-end broadband services. Serious investigations
into what this price could/should be based on adoption rates should
start now. Because we are the most online state expect for Alaska,
we have many more potential basic broadband customers than anywhere
else in the U.S..

Also, you definitely want to distribute this article about Korea
where over half the homes (apartments) have DSL:
http://www.anr.org/web/html/output/2002/broadbandasia522.htm

Also, here is a PewInternet report:
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=63

Good luck with your meeting.

Sincerely,
Steven Clift
http://www.publicus.net

And here are my comments:

From: "Steven Clift" <clift@...>
Date: Tue Jun 11, 2002 12:16 pm
Subject: Re: [mn-wired] 2002 State New Economy Index - MN Ranks #13
up 1

Ignoring Alaska, the 63.5% puts us (Minnesota) second in the world if

we were a nation behind Sweden at 64.7%:
http://www.nua.com/surveys/how_many_online/europe.html

However on the broadband (cable modem, DSL) front we stink. The
consumer price point is twice what it should be IMHO. This will
require state action and policy - no way to get around it. The
future of our state's economy and competitiveness is clearly at
stake.

I just returned from South Korea where cheap DSL is everywhere, even
in my hotel room. On a panel <http://www.metropolis2002.org> about
the digital divide I asked if there was a divide between "modem
people" and always-on broadband users - the answer from the Korean on


panel - "Modems? I don't think very many people use those anymore."

According to the speaker the Seoul metropolitan government gave loans

to small ISPs to encourage DSL investment and in the paper just below

the main factor becomes apparent - people overwhelmingly live in
apartment buildings, the apartment complexes themselves own the
telephone switching equipment (not the phone company) and acted like
purchasing cooperatives for their tenants and negotiated the most
bandwidth at the lowest cost among competing companies.

It is time to change state law to require a universal "basic" level
of DSL/cable modem service (256K or so) wherever such a service is
provided (including the Internet connection bundled or unbundled) at
no more than the price changed for a basic residential telephone
line. My guess is that you would need at least 50% household take up
of such a service to ensure profitability for companies. That should
be our goal - knock the price down to foster greatly expanded,
commercially viable use.

Cheers,
Steven Clift
http://www.publicus.net

Check out:
A Comparative Study of Broadband in Asia:
Deployment and Policy
http://www.anr.org/web/html/output/2002/broadbandasia522.htm

See:
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/18321

From:
http://www.cnk.or.kr/newfront/cgi/nbbs_read.php?bcontid=2012&bbid=500

Broadband Penetration

South Korea's government strongly encourages the adoption of
broadband technology. The country has the highest per-capita
broadband penetration in the world and is second only to the United
States in terms of the number of homes with broadband connections.
According to the MIC, South Korea had twice the number of broadband-
connected households than all of Europe at the end of 2000. Not
surprisingly, South Korea has the highest growth rate of high-speed
Internet services relative to its population?ore than 5 million
households had broadband Internet connections as of March 2001, up
from 52,000 in 1998.

Reasonable cost and ready availability help drive broadband adoption,


and even with today's high penetration rate, the government plans to
extend the opportunity to 90% of the country's population.

^ ^ ^ ^
Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis - - - E: clift@...
Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667
USA - - - - - - - ICQ: 13789183


------- End of forwarded message -------
^ ^ ^ ^
Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis - - - E: clift@...
Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667
USA - - - - - - - ICQ: 13789183