skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

MN Broadband Test Could Pave Way for Access Solutions

play audio
Play

Wednesday, October 7, 2020   

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- From distance learning to telemedicine, the pandemic crisis continues to expose gaps in broadband internet access.

An effort in Minnesota aims to provide a clearer picture of where customers are being left behind. On its website, the Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition offers a free test to determine the internet speed flowing through a person's home.

Groups such as AARP Minnesota hope it will give residents age 50 and older a better idea of the level of service they're receiving.

According to Jay Haapala, associate state director of community engagement at AARP Minnesota, with the pandemic showing no signs of ending soon, technology is a vital way to combat social isolation.

"Whether it's through video-conferencing, or to connect with people online, it's not just a nice thing to have," said Haapala. "That social connection is something that's critical, to people's lives and to their health."

He said the test also can help customers advocate for themselves when dealing with their provider.

The coalition has said policymakers can use the results, too, as they decide whether to provide more funding for infrastructure.

Officials acknowledge that might be a tough sell right now, with government revenue taking a hit, but they acknowledge reliable internet service as a crucial need for many Minnesotans.

This type of test, which is being used in only one other state right now, is more detailed than what government agencies rely on, said Nathan Zacharias, project manager for the coalition.

Even if the system shows that service is provided in a certain area, he explained, the test will show that it could be lacking -- and early findings indicate as you get into the rural countryside, the need is greater.

"You're going to see a lot of dots on our map that indicate there's low levels of service, or no service at all," Zacharias noted.

He added their research shows affordability issues in urban areas as well as rural, and it underscores accessibility gaps in communities of color.

The test first launched in early August, and will be available for a year. Before that wraps up, Zacharias says they will compile comprehensive data and present it to lawmakers during the next budget cycle.

"We knew before the pandemic that everybody needed broadband," he said. "And I think everybody knows just a little bit more how much need it."

The group relied on fundraising efforts to provide the test, which can be found on the group's website.



Disclosure: AARP Minnesota contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021