An effort to improve broadband internet service in Blanco County needs a larger response to move forward.

Connected Nation began working with officials in Blanco, Llano and Burnet counties, in addition to the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), in January to assess service needs and the type of internet services currently being provided to develop a plan to better meet demand. The assessment is necessary to move forward with identifying demand and the potential for expanding services, so completing surveys is critical to the next steps, according to Blanco County Judge Brett Bray.

For each sector, the minimum target for responses is 10 percent of households and businesses in each county. The stronger the response rates, the more evidence of demand leading to expanded service, and the more customized Connected Nation’s “Action Plan” will be for the community. Sectors include residential, business, public safety, libraries and community organizations, agriculture, K-12 education, higher education, healthcare, and government. People can complete more than one survey if they fit within more than one category. The goal for the three-county combined area is 2,076 completed surveys, but only 540 have been completed so far.

“This will be a lost opportunity if we can’t get more of these surveys completed,” said Bray.

The deadline to complete the survey is Oct. 30. The survey can be found at https://myconnectedcommunity.org/blanco-county/.

Connected Nations is part of a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting communities with access and adoption to broadband services that will support telemedicine, school study assignments, expansion of existing businesses, community marketing for tourism dollars, and teleworking.

While having dependable broadband service during this pandemic may be more important than ever before with people working from home and children learning online, most areas outside a central city don’t have adequate connectivity.

According to Connected Nation, many households may have dial-up, satellite or mobile-only connections, which is internet service but not ideal given the speed, latency and reliability.

Working on expanding broadband is one of the regional issues identified last year by the board of CAPCOG, a regional government that covers a 10-county area, so its staff recruited Connected Nation for this three-county project.

“We are prepared to help communities find funding options once the demand for service is identified through the survey process; if we can’t get enough participation for an assessment, we can’t move beyond that stage of the project,” said Betty Voights, CAPCOG’s executive director.