Don’t miss out—this is the chance you’ve been waiting for to help inform County and State efforts toward securing funding for better broadband infrastructure.
What is broadband?
Put simply, broadband is high-speed internet for which the standard definition is currently set as 25mbps download/3mbps upload speeds (Mbps = megabits per second). For a more detailed overview of this definition, the issue overall, and Lebanon’s conditions, refer to this July 1, 2020 Lebanon City Council memo.
As the memo concluded, Lebanon does not have complete broadband coverage—there are a few residential neighborhoods that meet the technical criteria for being “unserved”. The City’s goal is to facilitate complete digital inclusion but to do so, we and our Grafton County friends need some better data points.
Test your broadband speed.
How do you know if you are “served” with 25mbps/3mbps? One way to test your speed is with the TestIt app. While not an exact measurement as the test can vary based on proximity to your wireless router, the number of connected devices in a household, and similar factors, the app is a good starting point. For details on how to test your internet speed, please review this one-page information flyer or download the app. It is best to test your internet speed using a computer rather than on a mobile device.
Complete the survey.
Once you are equipped with the test information - or even if you don’t get a chance to try it out - please fill out the Grafton County Broadband Committee survey. The Grafton County Broadband Committee is asking for help to identify and document the gaps and needs of the county. Since Fall 2020, the Committee has been working diligently to identify and address the needs of the county with a focus on Economic Development, Distance Learning, Health Care/Telehealth Services, and Public Safety.
The broadband plan.
The Committee is leaning toward a primary goal of having the County develop the backbone network through population centers through a combination of building new fiber optic cable where there are obvious gaps and optimizing existing infrastructure. The backbone would be available for municipalities to then tap into that network and run additional fiber optic cable through their municipalities. They have met with UNH staff, the NH Office of Strategic Initiatives, staff from the County’s federal delegation, and members of our State delegation—and have support.
Pass it along and learn more.
You can also help by spreading the word and sharing this feedback opportunity with your neighbors, co-workers, and others in Lebanon. Whether you have great internet or not, all input is appreciated.
For more information, please visit the Grafton County Broadband Committee website (minutes and agenda) and the two articles related to their work: “Grafton County Forms Broadband Committee” and “Broadband Committee to map Service Levels.” For questions about the status of broadband coverage in the City of Lebanon, contact Rebecca Owens, rebecca.owens@lebanonnh.gov, or 603-442-6138.