If You Want Better Internet, Ask for It!

Broadband Surveys Give Power to the People

There is strength in numbers. The Sharon Internet Task Force is an excellent example of what can happen when a community comes together for better connectivity.

The small rural town in Connecticut’s northwest hills was ignored for decades by incumbent cable providers who refused pleas to expand broadband service. The reason given was too few customers spread across a large area with challenging construction hurdles.

But after a Sertex broadband feasibility study demonstrated that it was not only possible but affordable for the town to build a municipal fiber network, the threat of competition spurred the incumbents to express new interest in expanding their networks.

Go figure.

The lesson to be learned from Sharon is that towns wanting better broadband need to ask for it. Gathering interest and demonstrating demand is a critical first step.

Demonstrating Broadband Demand

Sertex is working with several communities to get started on the path to fiber broadband, including Sharon, Barkhamsted, and Plainville, CT. We also are launching a grassroots campaign in our hometown of Plainfield, CT.

Like many rural communities, accessing the internet in Plainfield can be painful with poor service and limited options. It is especially frustrating for us knowing that it could – and should – be better. We are inviting residents and businesses owners in Plainfield to join us in making their voices heard by taking the Plainfield Internet Survey. The more people who participate, the more powerful our collective voice will be. Together, we can demand fiber broadband for our town.