Some neighborhoods and houses in Polk County still do not have access to high-speed internet, according to the county’s technology chief. He is asking for help in identifying those residences in order to apply for grants to help get everybody connected.
Why it’s important: Broadband internet has become a necessity to participate in distance learning, telehealth, remote work, conference calls and other tasks many of us take for granted.
“It’s very hard these days for our children to compete if they’re not connected,” said the Rev. H.B. Holmes, pastor of Rhema Word of Faith Church in east Lakeland. His church hosted a broadband “town hall” Wednesday night on behalf of Polk Vision’s Smart Communities Team.
State of play: Polk County’s information technology department is creating a map showing places throughout the county that are “underserved” for internet connectivity. The maps will be submitted later this year when the county applies for a “broadband equity access and deployment” grant from the state of Florida aimed at filling gaps in internet coverage, David Palmer, the county’s IT director, said at Wednesday’s town hall meeting.
Are you underserved? A residence is considered underserved for internet, Palmer said, if the only available service:
- Comes by satellite
- Comes via telephone wires or DSL, as opposed to cable or fiber optics.
- Or is slower than 25 megabytes for downloads and three megabytes for uploads.
How can I tell if my internet is too slow? Palmer recommends testing your speed when you are on Wi-Fi at home this way:
- Go to Google.com and do a search for “internet speed test.” You can also try this link.
- Click the blue button that says “RUN SPEED TEST.”
- Write down the numbers for Mbps download, Mbps upload and Latency.
If your home is not served by broadband internet or if your internet falls below 25 Mbps download or 3 Mbps upload:
- Send an email to broadband@polk-county.net that includes your address and what kind of internet is available for your residence. If you have slow internet, include the three numbers from the speed test.
- If you don’t have email, send the information via letter or postcard to David Palmer | Polk County IT | P.O. Box 9005, Drawer ASO4 | Bartow FL 33831-9005.
For the most part, Lakeland residents have better access to fast internet than other parts of Polk, “but there are still pockets that we realize still have only copper connections,” Palmer said.
The ultimate goal is to get funding so everyone who wants it has access to affordable high-speed internet, Palmer said. Referring to the map that shows gaps in internet access, he said, “We don’t want Polk County looking like Swiss cheese.”
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