Hays County broadband survey provides insight, informs community’s technology plan
Hays County, Texas (September 19, 2022) – Hays County announced plans to implement a communitywide Technology Action Plan following a broadband engagement survey conducted in partnership with Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas). This project was funded by the St. David’s Foundation, a nonprofit based in Austin, Texas.
The community initiative asked Hays County residents, businesses, and community institutions to complete surveys as part of the Connected Community Engagement Program, which empowers local leaders and communities through collaborative, data-driven technology planning. To date, the Connected Engagement Program has helped more than 650 communities across the country build comprehensive Technology Action Plans.
The broadband survey provides a clear picture of the internet landscape across the county. Among other key data points, the survey found the following:
- Over 95% of households have access to internet services at speeds needed to run modern applications.
- 9 out of 10 households said they would like to have improved or additional options for home internet service.
- 74% of employed respondents telework in some capacity in Hays County.
- Fieldwork completed by CN Texas, in limited areas of Hays County, indicated signs of census block overstatement.
The Hays County Technology Action Plan includes the following recommendations:
Goal 1: Establish central broadband leadership in Hays County to ensure the work to improve broadband to date is carried forth and informs the community about top state, local, and federal broadband happenings.
Goal 2: Continue to build relationships with internet service providers to close the Digital Divide for unserved and underserved residents and businesses.
Goal 3: Promote digital skills training and workforce development.
"Working with Simone Corprew, Judge Becerra, and the commissioners was a pleasure,” said Pam Waggoner, Broadband Solutions Manager for CN Texas. “This is an engaged group of leaders wanting only the best for their community. I look forward to watching Hays County become a high-speed broadband community with plenty of access and adoption choices, as well as high digital literacy skills."
To view the full results of the Hays County broadband survey, visit:
https://connectednation.org/hays-county-texas/.
# # #
About Connected Nation Texas: CN Texas is a local division of the national nonprofit Connected Nation. Its mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies for all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.
About St. David’s Foundation: St. David’s mission is to create healthier lives for all Central Texans by addressing the region’s top health challenges. In support of their goal, the Foundation invests to solve the most pressing health challenges across our entire community, especially for those traditionally left out – the underserved and uninsured. Learn more at https://stdavidsfoundation.org/.