Limited access to fast, reliable broadband service has long been a problem for rural Georgians, but it’s become an economic and public health liability in the age of coronavirus. The public’s ability to engage in remote work and learning, as well as take advantage of telemedicine, relies on strong internet connectivity. The state has launched an initiative aimed at mapping digital access across Georgia to help educators, first responders, and the medical community develop digital strategies in the communities they serve.
Georgians are encouraged to download the free Ookla Speedtest app (Android or iOS-Apple) to the various devices they use to connect to the internet (phones, laptops and computers), and then to take several tests in the places where connectivity is important to them.
According to the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI), the tests will allow users to see if they’re getting the internet speed they need. The tests also will allow Ookla to collect data on network performance. Ookla will combine individual test results and summarize them for the state’s review and analysis.
“The state is evaluating the benefit of using Ookla’s speed test results to gain a better understanding of where there are wireless and wireline network performance issues in Georgia,” says the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
For those who might be concerned about participating, Malenka Warner, director of communications for the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement says “Security is extremely tight around the Ookla tests.” She adds the company has “an international reputation for data security.”
Four Georgia counties – Baker, Clayton, Dougherty, and Gordon – have been chosen for a more thorough pilot assessment which will enable county education leaders in those areas to more effectively determine distance learning options in the long term beyond this school year. The State chose the four pilot counties based on geographic diversity, digital education plans, and public health metrics related to COVID-19 impacts.
In 2018, the state launched the GBDI to promote the deployment of broadband services to unserved areas throughout Georgia.
