The state will be better able to identify and address places that lack reliable Internet service using a tool launched Wednesday by the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Broadband Infrastructure Office.
People can use this interactive mapping tool to report whether they have Internet access at home or work and determine the speeds received at their address, according to a news release from the department.
To use the map, go to ncbroadband.gov/map.
“Reliable Internet access is crucial for helping businesses grow, students learn, and communities connect to the wider world,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in the release. “This new tool will identify areas that need better access to broadband.”
“I’m extremely proud of this initiative,” said Eric Boyette, secretary and state chief information officer. “Access to high-speed internet is crucial these days, and I’m encouraged by the fact that this technology will bring us one step closer to making sure that North Carolinians receive the services they need, regardless of their geographic location throughout the state.”
The data that people provide will be used for a map that will show the speed of Internet service that households and businesses receive across the state.
That information will be used to report Internet coverage data to the Federal Communications Commission and will allow the N.C. Department of Information Technology to find parts of the state that need better Internet access and help prioritize future projects to expand broadband in communities that need it most.
“The data reported to the FCC by Internet service providers gives us only general information about what is available across the state,” said Jeff Sural, director of the Broadband Infrastructure Office. “We repeatedly hear from citizens that their homes or businesses do not have Internet access even though the map shows they do. This new platform will help to provide information that can be extremely important for project planning and funding purposes.”
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