SAGINAW TWP.—Officials in Saginaw Charter Township are requesting that its residents participate in a broadband service survey to improve the level of high-speed internet connectivity in the township.
Township officials say they have contracted with Ann Arbor-based Merit Network Inc. to conduct the survey, which will be used to request federal funding to improve high-speed internet service.
In some areas of Saginaw Township, they said, high-speed Internet is not available, or is expensive or unreliable. In order to bridge this “digital divide,” Saginaw Township needs to gain a better picture of who has the Internet access they need. A survey was developed by Merit Network that will provide accurate data regarding Internet access, speeds, and costs across the township. Information gathered will only be used to support broadband Internet expansion efforts and will aid the Township in seeking grant funding to increase broadband availability in Saginaw Township. The success of this survey relies on resident and business participation to help measure broadband access.
“Now, more than ever, Saginaw Township families and businesses rely on their Internet to connect with everyday life, work, school, family, friends, and church,” said Saginaw Township Manager James Wickman. “The quality of our Internet must be on par with the quality of life we have enjoyed in the Township for generations,”
The survey is being conducted through a partnership with the Michigan Moonshot initiative, which aims to bridge the digital divide in Michigan. With the participation of Saginaw Township residents, these organizations will collect the necessary data to develop a realistic representation of current broadband coverage and speeds. Accurate, unbiased data will assist in drawing necessary state and federal funds to the community.
Residents are being asked to visit MichiganMoonshot.org/SaginawTwp to complete the brief survey, whether they pay for Internet access at their property or not. The survey results will provide granular information about residents’ broadband speeds and availability to aid Saginaw Township in gathering the necessary data for grant applications.
The Michigan Moonshot is a collective call to action that aims to bridge the digital divide in Michigan. Stakeholders include Merit Network, the nation’s longest-running research and education network, the Quello Center at Michigan State University, and M-Lab, the largest open Internet measurement platform in the world. Learn more about the Michigan Moonshot at Merit.edu/Moonshot.
This is the second time I have been bothered to do this survey. I did it already and if I am counted numerous times because your record keeping stinks it no longer is of any value.