East Texas competes for share of broadband funding

The Daily Sentinel
By NICOLE BRADFORD Staff Writer
Feb 21, 2023

Intent on securing federal broadband funds, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments is urging all East Texans to participate in the latest internet coverage assessment, even if they don’t have internet.

“This one is much simpler than the last one,” says DETCOG’s broadband project manager Mickey Slimp, referring to a January effort to get local residents online to verify their internet coverage — or lack thereof — at their addresses.

For about two weeks in January, DETCOG staff and local officials traveled to rural areas in the 11-county region to help residents challenge a largely erroneous broadband coverage map produced by the Federal Communications Commission.

“Right now the way the map reads, Nacogdoches is not considered unserved,” Slimp said. “It says there are 56 people without internet in the county. You can go out to the lake and find more people (without internet) than that.”

Requests for more time to correct the coverage map went nowhere, and the deadline passed on Jan. 13. The January campaign had been centered on helping the State of Texas get its share of more than $40 billion in federal funding that will be allocated to states for broadband expansion.

“If done right, Texas could get $3.5 to $4 billion,” Slimp said. “If done wrong, it’s going to be $2 billion or less.”

Regardless of how much comes to the Lone Star State, now is the time for Deep East Texas to work on its share of the state’s funding, Slimp says.

“The new map and information is being used to decide how the money will be distributed to local communities once it gets to the state,” he said.

Once again, time is short. The deadline for the latest online survey is 10 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 24.

All East Texas residents are being urged to take several minutes to complete the online speed test by visiting tinyurl.com/ConnectEastTexas on their home or business computer. Those without any access to internet are being asked to participate, as well.

“Any site that has zero internet is a boon for our argument.” Slimp says. “If they can’t conduct a speed test, then send an email or letter including their name, address, phone, and the statement, ‘I don’t have home internet service.’”

Statements regarding internet access can be emailed to mslimp@detcog.gov. The Judy McDonald Public Library, 1112 North St., has public internet available for use. They can also be dropped off or mailed to the DETCOG offices, Attn: Broadband Project, 1405 Kurth Drive, Lufkin TX 75904-1929.