Ingham County officials are asking residents for help mapping areas in the community with slow or no internet access.
Over the course of the last two years, the pandemic showed the internet to be a fundamental resource needed to communicate and access learning and job opportunities.
Ingham County Controller Gregg Todd says officials are asking for help through a survey being mailed to residents.
“So our goal is to determine one, where broadband is in the county, you know, what locations have it and what don’t. And two, once we determine if they have it, what speeds their broadband is giving them," he said.
The survey will test the respondent's internet speeds. If the respondent is using a mobile phone to answer the questions they will have the opportunity to select whether they have access to internet at home or not.
Survey answers will be used to determine how to best expand internet access in the county.
"Once we have that determined, then we can use that to go to the state and leverage that knowledge to say, 'Hey, listen, you know, these areas in Ingham County are underserved or unserved,'" he added.
Todd says the county also plans to use federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to improve internet speeds for residents.
The deadline to take the survey is June 3.
Residents can access the survey online here or request a paper copy by calling Ingham County at (517) 676-7206.
