In its effort to bring broadband internet services to underserved areas of Camano and Whidbey islands, the Island County Broadband Action Team is asking for the community’s help, according to a press release from Island County.

To achieve Washington state’s goal of having universal broadband internet access by 2024, the county’s Broadband Action Team is asking residents to take a Washington State one-minute speed survey at expressoptimizer.net/projects/Washington/survey.php. Taking this simple survey will help to pinpoint areas of Island County where better internet service is needed.

An additional way residents can help in the effort to bring better internet to Island County is through FCC mapping at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. This is where residents can see options for internet in their locations and challenge the data provided to the FCC if it doesn’t match personal experience.

Click on the FCC site link and enter your address in the box to see who is reporting business or residential internet service at your location. If you believe the information is incorrect, you may challenge the data by clicking on the “location challenge” or “availability challenge” button.

By taking the speed survey and providing mapping information, Island County residents can help the Broadband Action Team to obtain grant funding for open access networks that will better serve the community.

In 2019, Island County teamed up with the Port of Coupeville, city of Oak Harbor, town of Coupeville and Whidbey Telecom to sponsor an Island County Broadband Planning Study. As a result, the Broadband Action Team was formed to provide broadband services to underserved areas within Island County.

The objective is to close the digital divide, increasing opportunities for education, health and workforce development and to provide broadband accessibility to residents, students, government services, business entities, schools, libraries, health centers and first responders.

Since the launch of that effort, a study of broadband internet was completed, identifying critically underserved and unserved areas in the county. The study helped bring funding into Island County for construction of open access networks in South and Central Whidbey and a recent grant submittal on Camano Island.

The Broadband Action Team recognizes that there continues to be difficult to reach and serve areas on North Whidbey and in other areas and is working with local partners in school districts and at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station to gather data needed to qualify for funding to bring internet network access to your community.

For more information, email broadband@islandcountywa.gov.