Select Page

Broadband Internet Survey

Help us improve broadband internet access in Fond du Lac County!

We encourage Fond du Lac County residents to complete one residential internet access survey per household and each Fond du Lac County business location to complete a business internet access survey!

Begin Residential Survey Now! Begin Business Survey Now!

What is broadband? 
Broadband is a high-speed internet service with a minimum upload speed of 3mbps and minimum download speed of 25 mbps. The definition was set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Why is broadband internet access important? 
Internet access became more important than ever in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, many services moved to an online format, such as education, employment, and even medical services. One year later, we are still seeing education provided online and many employers continue to offer remote work.

The ‘digital divide’ is the gap between those who are able to benefit from high-speed internet access and those who cannot. The effect of this gap has only grown over the past year. Students without internet were unable to consistently access their education, employees who could not work remotely had to choose between their work and their health, and people without internet were unable to participate in telehealth at a time when most preventative medical visits and mental health services transitioned to a virtual format. Many areas of rural Fond du Lac County have no broadband internet access and are affected the most by the digital divide.

How will the internet surveys be used? 
The data from the county-wide internet surveys will be mapped and analyzed to inform organizations, local government, and internet providers of the state of internet access in  Fond du Lac County. The data from the survey is necessary to apply for state and federal grants in order to make internet and broadband improvements a reality for our county, specifically in rural communities. Once the data is compiled and analyzed, the taskforce will seek out internet providers to apply for these state and federal grants.