Inaccuracies In Broadband Mapping
Sonora, CA — As technology evolves high speed internet is becoming increasingly important in areas like healthcare, education, job creation and entertainment.
The regional organization, Central Sierra Connect, is asking for the Mother Lode’s help to fix inaccuracies on the California Public Utilities Commission’s broadband access map.
“The CPUC mapping site has coverage in our area overstated, meaning that it shows coverage existing in wider ranges than are the reality,” says Darrell Slocum, Marketing Director for Central Sierra Connect. “The reason for that is that the large providers coverage is often overstated because of the formatting that’s used for the mapping program. So, for instance, if one house in the neighborhood has high speed internet, then potentially the entire neighborhood could be shown as covered. In our area, we have situations where it may be your neighbor has high speed, but you don’t on the other side of the street. Therefore, we need to go on the offensive to correct the errors that exist on the mapping program, and the best way to do that is to go to the map and input your information.”
Central Sierra Connect, which covers Tuolumne, Calaveras, Alpine, Amador and Mariposa Counties, is encouraging local internet users to run a speed test by going to speedtest.net, and then go and input the results manually at www.broadbandmap.ca.gov, through the interactive map option. You can go through a form and fill out your address. If you have trouble navigating through the website, you can also simply send the information straight to Central Sierra Connect. Click here for contact information.
Slocum says it is important to have an accurate broadband map because it is often used as a reference when the state and federal government allocates grants for rural broadband projects.
