County seeks input on internet service levels to help improve access for all   

Published Oct. 5, 2020

Placer County is conducting a survey to identify the quality of internet service within its numerous cities and small towns, from the City of Roseville to the north shore of Lake Tahoe. 

The Internet Service Survey, which was released today, is designed to reveal internet availability and service speeds with the goal of identifying underserved and unserved communities.

“We are hoping to bring attention to the growing digital divide that is impacting our residents and business owners in the foothill communities and portions of eastern Placer,” said District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “The lack of connectivity has become increasingly difficult to contend with now that many of us are working and going to school from home and need to rely on virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams.”  

The State of California has indicated that improving internet service levels throughout the state is a top priority to ensure equal access for all citizens. Placer County plans to share the survey data with the state to advocate on behalf of its rural residents with the hope of attracting grant funding for new infrastructure improvements on the part of internet service providers.  

The challenge with providing internet services to less populated rural communities is that it is not cost-effective for internet service providers to invest infrastructure dollars in areas where their return on investment is limited,” said District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes. “If they could secure additional grant funding from the state, Placer County could begin to see improvements in internet service on the horizon.”

The countywide survey will be available until Nov. 15 to give residents plenty of time to provide their input. Respondents are encouraged to fill out a separate survey for each address where they are paying for service, which includes places of business as well as rental properties. 

The survey link provides English and Spanish options, plus residents can call our helpline at 530-886-2263 to seek personal assistance with filling out the survey. For related inquiries, please send correspondence via email to broadbandsurvey@placer.ca.gov.