MMFP Top Headlines

The Middle Mile Fiber Project received top headlines on Light Wave regarding working with Calient and Cyan. To read more about this venture: http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2012/06/calient-cyan-partner-for-cdc-roadm-deployment.html

Walkthrough Schedule for inside wiring.

The Northeast Service Cooperative has set up a schedule for anchors sites that have requested a walkthrough for inside wiring for connections to the broadband project. The schedule has been posted on the Northeast Service Cooperative Website at: http://www.nesc.k12.mn.us/anchors/walkthroughs

Broadband Assessment for Schools

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has released an assessment of broadband for schools. The study indicates recommendations to address K-12 infrastructure needs. The information can be reviewed at http://www.setda.org/web/guest/broadbandimperative.

Community Connect Grant Program

The notice has been published for the Community Connect Grant Program through the United States Department of Agriculture. This grant opportunity is for the deployment of broadband service "to extremely rural, lower-income communities on a community-orientated connectivity." The notice can be viewed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/SupportDocuments/rd-ruscommconnec2012-10614.pdf.
The Technical Assistance Grant findings and report will be available to communities this spring. Meetings have been set with model communities next week. Regional meetings will be set up following.

Broadband update

We continue to work on getting out Network Service Agreements to the various entities. Cities and townships will be getting updated agreements in April-May. These are currently being reviewed and are getting to the leaders in those communities. We look forward to getting critical service sites connected!

City Connections

The Northeast Service Cooperative hosted a meeting with RAMS city leaders with the assistance of RAMS Executive Director Ron Dicklich. Another meeting was conducted in Carlton County bringing together community leaders. At the meetings, NESC leadership discussed issues and solutions for cities looking to get sites connected to broadband, but may not be able to pay the minimum cost for participating in the project. One solution is looking at a Technology Needs Assessment throughout the region. The presentation is available for viewing at nesc.k12.mn.us/meetings.

Starting next week: Installation of network equipment at OTNs.

Photo: Haines & Arrowhead OTN site. Photo by Tiffany Anderson


Network equipment installation for the Optical Transport Network (OTN) equipment shelters remodels are scheduled to begin next week starting with Hibbing and continuing to Mountain Iron, Cloquet, Citon and UMD. It will take an estimated three days at each site for the installs. For the OTN prefabricated shelters, electrical is expected to be powered at Barnum and Floodwood this week, with testing and inspection to follow. The remainder of the sites have been prepared for additional equipment and battery arrival. 
Splicing at the remodel facilities will begin at the end of March into the first week of April. The equipment from Cyan will arrive in mid-April, with network provisioning and testing to follow.