ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota is getting $1.7 million from the federal stimulus to map broadband Internet access and plan for service improvements.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
It will go to Connect Minnesota, a nonprofit collaboration between the state Department of Commerce and Connected Nation, a national nonprofit that promotes increased broadband access.
Connect Minnesota will use $1.2 million for mapping and data collection and another $500,000 for planning over five years. The group will feed the state mapping data into a national broadband map, set for release in 2011.
Connect Minnesota says it also plans to start a new mapping tool called BroadbandStat to help plan broadband expansions.
http://www.startribune.com/local/80159482.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU