Taskforce Releases Broadband Survey Results

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 14, 2021
 
Media Contact: Acacia St. John
Forward Wayne County, 765.259.3327
acacia@forwardwaynecounty.org         

​Wayne County, Indiana– The Wayne County Broadband Taskforce, in partnership with Purdue University Center for Regional Development, released the county-wide broadband survey results today. The online survey was conducted in March and covered a wide range of topics including usage, actual speeds, and lack of access. Here are some key highlights:

1. More than 1,500 valid responses were received.
2. 41% of respondents were unsatisfied with their current internet service.
3. 63% of respondents showed that their upload/download speeds do not meet the minimum 25/3 federal criteria.
4. Quality and technology are key issues.
5. Respondents consider internet access like a utility. 33% of respondents are willing to pay $50-$75/month for high quality internet.
6. 39% of respondents cannot work from home because their internet is unreliable or unavailable.
7. 78% of respondents used four or more devices. This means Wayne County has above average digital skills.
8. 61% or more of respondents said if they had reliable internet at home they could do doctor’s appointments, remote work, or e-learning.
9. Wayne County has broadband deserts.
10. 41% of internet users in Wayne County fall into the pre-k to college age range.

 
Detailed survey results can be found on the Forward Wayne County web site here.

wayne_county_broadband_survey_report.pdf
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“Some of these results were surprising to us,” said Ken Paust, President of the Wayne County Commissioners. “We knew there were problem areas, but the survey results gave us the data we needed to prove it. We definitely have some work to do.”
 
The Wayne County Broadband Task Force plans to use the results of the survey to work on broadband strategies in the county; with providers to address key concerns and opportunities; and to go after broadband funding to make Wayne County better connected.
 
Commissioner Jeff Plasterer added, “The county has American Rescue plan dollars coming and we are considering whether we can meaningfully address broadband with some of those dollars.”
 
The task force would like to thank Wayne County residents as well as strategic partners for spreading the word and taking the survey.
 
“We can’t thank Wayne County residents enough,” said Acacia St. John, Program Manager for Forward Wayne County. “We knew broadband or lack thereof was an important topic to them and they turned out to help us put some of the pieces together. This report showed us what our residents could do if the access were there.”
 
Dr. Robert Gallardo, with Purdue University Center for Regional Develop, put it best when he explained the report to the task force and said “Wayne County has adequate users that are held back by inadequate or unavailable technology.”
 
About the Taskforce:
Members include Wayne County Government, Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce, Forward Wayne County, Wayne County Convention & Tourism Bureau, and the Wayne County Foundation.