State seeks feedback from Alabamians on broadband access
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Special to the News
Want to see further improvements in broadband access in Alabama? Here is a simple way Alabamians can help.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, or ADECA, is requesting information about broadband internet access and speed from Alabama residents and businesses.
Alabamians are encouraged to take the speed survey at https://alabama.speedsurvey.org to help the state more precisely locate gaps in broadband service areas. The information gathered will be used for more specific mapping of service gaps and planning efforts to help fill those gaps.
“The COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on the importance of having access to high-speed internet across the Alabama,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “Taking this speed survey will help us gather the data we need to map and plan our efforts to help close those service gaps.”
ADECA administers the Broadband Alabama program, which includes the Broadband Accessibility Fund created by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. Since 2018, the fund has assisted broadband providers with extending high-speed internet service for households, businesses and community anchors in unserved areas of the state or in areas lacking minimum threshold service.
Many Alabama homes and businesses receive less than the current federal definition of broadband service, which is 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download speed and three Mbps upload speed.
The information gathered from the speed survey will help pinpoint the specific areas that lack this coverage. Your address will not be made public, and the information will be used solely for the state’s planning efforts.
“Broadband is a huge economic driver for recruiting industry and jobs,” Boswell said. “This survey is quick and easy and helps show us precisely where the service gaps are, so we encourage all Alabama residents and businesses to take it and help us continue Gov. Kay Ivey’s efforts to grow Alabama’s economy.”
A video explaining the survey is available on the ADECA YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSNOf5Rag5g.