New research out Monday by Connected Tennessee shows 96% of Tennessee households have access to basic internet with speeds of 768Kbps download/200Kbps upload, an increase from last April’s figure of 95%, leaving 100,000 Tennessee households unable to connected to basic broadband internet.
Nonprofit organization Connected Tennessee has been working since 2007 to change the technological landscape of the state and ensure access to broadband through adoption and deployment.
Additional findings from this research include:
· 92% of Tennessee households now have access to fixed broadband at advertised speeds of 3 Mbps download/768 Kbps upload, which means nearly 191,000 households are in areas eligible for Connect America Fund broadband deployment subsidies.
· 92.5% of rural households now have access to fixed broadband of at least 768 Kbps/200 Kbps upload, up from 91.5%, leaving 97,000 Tennessee households unable to connect to basic high-speed internet.
· 63% of Tennessee households have access to fixed broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbps download/1.5 Mbps upload.
"With nearly two-thirds of households in the state now having access to robust broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbps through their local provider, we are encouraged by the possibilities this enables for small business, distance learning, telemedicine and beyond,” said Connected Tennessee Executive Director Corey Johns.
“The 100,000 Tennessee households currently lacking access to basic high-speed Internet service reminds us that our work is not finished and that some of our friends and neighbors are still waiting to be connected to the digital economy."
Research and maps are now available through an innovative new broadband mapping tool called My ConnectView offering unmatched views of Tennessee’s technology landscape. Residents and businesses are encouraged to use the interactive map to find area providers and help validate the data. To report that broadband is not available in a given area, consumers can fill out a broadband inquiry.
Connected Tennessee’s research was conducted as part of the State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant program for Tennessee, funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The data were gathered in accordance with the requirements of the NTIA. The process begins by contacting all known providers in the state and providing information about the broadband mapping project. Information on broadband service areas is collected from each provider through voluntary participation and is subject to confidentiality protections. The data is then independently verified through engineering studies, site visits, propagation models, and consumer feedback. The FCC is using this data to direct broadband subsidies. More information about the broadband mapping process is provided in the Broadband Mapping FAQ.
Connected Tennessee will continue to update broadband provider service areas and conduct detailed research on the data; working in collaboration with Tennessee broadband providers helps determine the true extent of the available network more accurately. Connected Tennessee also conducts independent, ongoing validation of the broadband service data submitted by the provider community.