Through an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), Summit County is evaluating the feasibility of an expansion of a high-speed fiber optic network for identified job hubs and opportunity zones.
High-speed fiber internet refers to next-generation technology that supports symmetrical upload and download speeds and potential "gigabit" speeds. High-speed fiber internet currently has limited availability in Summit County, through private internet service providers (ISPs) at relatively high costs. The county is evaluating the construction of a new high-speed fiber optic network that can provide improved internet speeds and affordability.
To begin this important work, Summit County contracted local technical fiber network expert, Environmental Design Group (EDG), to develop a feasibility study, identifying opportunities associated with the proposed fiber expansion.
We Need Your Help
We’re looking for your input to understand the existing needs, challenges, prices, and user experiences of current internet services in Summit County. To gather this critical information, we're requesting you complete a brief survey to help us explore strategies to promote high-speed fiber internet within your region. Please use the QR code to complete our survey before Monday, March 28, 2022.
Scan the QR Code to Take the Survey or Visit www.EnvDesignGroup.com/SummitCountyFiberStudy
Job Hub + Opportunity Zones
In conjunction with our survey collection, EDG is meeting with municipalities, public agencies, and private entities throughout Summit County's identified heightened areas of employment or "job hubs" and under-served regions or "opportunity zones" to dive deeper into the community’s necessary requirements for fiber utility. Information gathered during these meetings will evoke critical community prospective in these key areas for a feasibility study.
Did You Know?
Most customers are limited by existing ISPs that offer typical speeds at or below 200 megabits per second (Mbps) via a coaxial cable connection. High-speed fiber internet can offer a ten-fold speed improvement, with 1 Gig (1,000 Mbps) service speeds. This much higher connection speed allows users increased productivity and a much-improved experience when
working remotely, attending virtual learning classes, streaming content (movies, TV shows), playing video games, or just connecting with friends and family on a video call. More than ever, both work and play require fast and affordable, high-speed fiber internet access.
Questions?
Contact:
Arielle Steffen
Public Outreach Specialist at
marketingservices
@envdesigngroup.com
