Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) recently urged Pennsylvania businesses and residents to participate in a broadband speed test.
The test is being conducted by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania in partnership with Penn State University, and test results will be made available on the MeasurementLab.net website.
The test is conducted online using M-Lab’s Network Diagnostic Tool. The published information will include devices’ IP addresses, but will not include personal identifying information about Internet users.
“The goal is to have as many rural folks as possible take the test to document the speed difference between folks on cable ‘in town’ and those on so-called ‘high-speed DSL’ out in the country,” Everett said. “The greater we can identify the extent of the differences, the better we can help people.”
Two-thirds of people living in rural areas and 800,000 total Pennsylvanians lack access to high-speed internet, according to Penn State faculty member Steve Sampsell.
The lack of high-speed service creates challenges for business owners, medical professionals, teachers, and others.
Internet speeds in various communities across the state have not been seriously studied before. This lack of information is a challenge to General Assembly lawmakers who hope to address the lack of high-speed service problem.