PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The federal government is trying to expand internet access to everyone in the country with a program called Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD).
Pennsylvania was awarded just over $1 billion of BEAD money to expand access to high-speed broadband in unserved and underserved areas.
"What we're trying to do is to make sure in our five-county region that we know exactly where those locations are that need service," said Jennifer Wakeman, the executive director of DRIVE, an economic development group serving Columbia, Montour, Snyder, Union, and Northumberland Counties.
All of those counties have rural communities, some with poor internet access.
"Basically, if you think your internet is bad, tell us. We want to help you prove that it is."
Wakeman says the best way to do that is through a speed test. DRIVE recently teamed up with Penn State University to do a broadband speed test for people who live and work in these counties.
You can connect to the internet through a computer or smartphone for the test.
"It takes less than a minute to put in your address and run the test, and then that data goes to Penn State. They will load that all together and get it to us."
From there, DRIVE will analyze the data and use it to help determine where that federal money will be spent.
"If you aren't defined as being unserved or underserved, BEAD is not going to get to you. That's not going to bring internet to you, so it's really important not to miss the opportunity."
DRIVE is asking people in Columbia, Montour, Snyder, Union, and Northumberland Counties to take the speed test by the end of March.