Fort Pierce, Vero Beach bags

More than 21,000 Treasure Coast households do not have the Internet
Broadband access corresponds to a higher annual household income
The state has already awarded $473 million in broadband grants in 2023

You may be reading this article on your computer without a second thought for your high-speed Internet access.

Not all of your Treasure Coast neighbors are so lucky, but the connectivity playing field will soon become more level for select communities in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

So far this year, the Florida Office of Broadband has awarded nearly $8.7 million to areas of the region with slow or no Internet, from Fellsmere to Fort Pierce to Indiantown.

We know there are broadband needs in Fort Pierce and we know that many people cannot afford Internet service, said Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson. Some who can afford it, lack the digital literacy skills needed to make the most of it.

Government initiatives to bring underserved areas online are a first step in closing this digital divide, Hudson said.

The broadband bureau, which launched in 2020 under the oversight of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, has distributed more than $473 million in four funding rounds since February. The money supports about 150 projects statewide, according to Governor Ron DeSantis’ office, providing high-speed Internet for about 310,000 homes, farms and businesses. Other community places, such as libraries and hospitals, are also included.

Broadband Internet infrastructure will change the landscape and quality of life for Florida households and businesses by connecting them to workforce training, employment, educational resources and telehealth services, said DEO Secretary J. Alex Kelly in a July 7 statement.

Where does the Treasure Coast need broadband?

Portions of each county in Treasure Coast received grants in both the first and fourth rounds of funding. In February, Fort Pierce, Indiantown and unincorporated Indian River County received a total of $2 million through the state’s Broadband Opportunity program, which includes federal COVID-19 relief dollars channeled through the American Rescue Plan Act.

In July, Fellsmere, Fort Pierce, Palm City, Vero Beach and Port St. Lucie received nearly $6.7 million through the state’s broadband infrastructure program, also supported by federal disaster relief funds. pandemic.

Comcast is overseeing all seven of Treasure Coast’s broadband projects, which include the installation of fiber-optic cable in nearly 3,100 residences and facilities. The fourth round of grants designated more than 188 miles of cable in the region; cable length was not listed in the first round.

The state expects additional broadband dollars to be available by the end of the year.

More than 21,000 Treasure Coast households don’t have an Internet subscription, according to an analysis by TCPalm 2021 American Community Survey data. Among the 92 percent of households that do, broadband access such as cable, DSL, or fiber correlates with higher annual household income. For example, approximately 79% of households with incomes below $20,000 have broadband, compared to 96% of households with incomes above $75,000.

Comcast did not respond to TCPalms’ request for comment on whether expanded service areas would be offered broadband subscriptions at a reduced cost.

Indian River County

In the eyes of Vero Beach Mayor John Cotugno, a better connected community is a better informed community. Recent grants awarded to the region raise awareness that Internet access is not as ubiquitous as it might seem, he said.

Who would think anyone on the Treasure Coast in Indian River County wouldn’t have access to broadband? he asked. It would seem unthinkable but it is a reality.

Unincorporated Indian River

Grant: $532,147
Where: 674 unserved households in a lot surrounding Fellsmere, north to 117th Street and south to 77th Street
Cable length: unspecified
Download/Upload Speed: Up to 1 gigabit per second (gbps)

Fellsmere and Vero Beach; Vero Beach South

Grant: $1.9 million
Where: 661 unserved locations in six parcels, north to the Brevard County line and south to the St. Lucie County line
Cable length: 94.9 miles
Download/Upload Speed: 1Gbps

St. Lucie County

St. Lucie is the only Treasure Coast county to have declined some broadband applications. State records show that AT&T submitted an unsuccessful proposal that covers several areas of Fort Pierce, further west of Interstate 95. The state also rejected a Comcast proposal that covers western St. Lucie, namely Aero Acres south of Okeechobee Road.

To be considered underserved, a parcel internet must be slower than 25/3 Mbps. Translation: Download speeds below 25 megabits per second and upload speeds below 3 Mbps. An underserved parcel has speeds below 100/ 20Mbps.

Click here to view the fastest broadband map of Florida and explore the internet speeds in your area.

Fort Pierce

Grant: $1,429,400
Where: 636 unserved and underserved locations in two lots, west of I-95 and north of Okeechobee Road
Cable length: unspecified
Download speed: 50 Mbps minimum
Upload speed: 10 Mbps minimum

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie

Grant: $2,028,750
Where: 396 unserviced locations in three lots, east of I-95 and south to Savannas Preserve State Park
Cable Length: 41.59 miles
Download/Upload Speed: 1Gbps

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie; Treasure Coast Air Park

Grant: $1,386,614.25
Where: 183 unserviced locations in three parcels, around Glades Cut Off Road and Range Line Road
Cable Length: 21.09 miles
Download/Upload Speed: 1Gbps

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Image Source : www.tcpalm.com

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