Residents of Hamilton County can help extend broadband coverage to rural areas by downloading a new app created by the National Association of Counties (NACo), of which Hamilton County is a member.
“Access to affordable, high-speed internet is essential to connect people and places and compete in today’s economy,” says NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase. “This mobile app will help identify gaps in broadband coverage and help guide federal, state, and local decision-making.”
“TestIT” (available for iOS and Android) allows mobile users to test their broadband speed from anywhere – helping to accurately identify areas with low or no internet connectivity.
Ward
“Believe it or not, there are some places in Hamilton County, even within the city limits, which are below the national average for broadband speed and some that are below the federal minimum standard,” said Kenton Ward, County Surveyor and a member of the NACo Board of Directors. “A lack of high-speed internet is hurting small businesses in rural America. It also limits students’ ability to get online and for sick patients to get medical consultation locally unavailable.”
NACo says outdated broadband mapping techniques limit Congress’ ability to accurately identify and fund broadband resources across much of America. It hopes the “TestIT” app will help identify unserved and underserved communities and provide accurate data to ensure they are better served by critical federal resources.
“Our lives and futures have become inextricably tied to technology,” “says George Kakasuleff, president of the Hamilton County Farm Bureau. “Without access to high-speed internet, many of our rural communities are becoming increasingly isolated and left behind. We need to do a better job of bridging the digital divide.”
NACo has also partnered with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) and Rural LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) to fund the new mobile app.