Group Launches Internet Speed Survey

RISON - The Accelerate Cleveland County broadband committee is launching a coun‐tywide online survey this week to get a true reading of broad‐band speeds in the county. The data collected will be used to seek grants and other invest‐ments to improve service throughout the entire county. The survey is being coordi‐nated through the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the Accelerate Arkansas program. Surveys will continue to be ac‐cepted through the month of September. Organizers hope to get several hundred surveys, if possible, to provide a true sam‐pling of the internet speeds in the county. While high-speed fiber optic cable is currently being installed in Rison and Kingsland, the Ac‐celerate Cleveland County com‐mittee is looking to extend fiber optic service beyond those city limits and into the entire county. Accelerate Cleveland County is part of the Accelerate Arkan‐sas Project, which is an initiative started by the Arkansas Connec‐tivity Coalition, a group of more than 15 organizations in the state committed to expanding internet access. The group was created to help support the state and local communities plan and secure the federal dollars needed to expand access and ensure high-speed in‐ternet is more accessible and affordable. Those taking the survey are asked to use the device they nor‐mally use to access the internet (laptop or desktop computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) and also use the connection they nor‐mally use to get on the internet (telephone company, satellite, hot spot, cellular signal, etc.). The survey is to get accurately document how people are ac‐cessing the internet in Cleveland County and what kind of speeds they are getting. To take the survey, go online to https://uark.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_2fvt7RZACFlW4WG Accelerate Cleveland County has also launched a Facebook page where residents can access the survey. There is also a QR...