By CJ Vetter

HAYS COUNTY – Hays County is partnering with Connected Nation Texas and local community leaders to conduct a new survey to ensure more broadband access for residents.

Hays County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, but the extent of its broadband services can be difficult to comprehend. While the U.S. Census keeps track of what areas have access to broadband, the actual accessibility in those areas to the internet can vary between having little connection to having none at all.

Once completed, the survey will help create new plans and projects to improve the broadband connections and services within the county. By creating an accurate and detailed report on the services and infrastructure currently in use, the county hopes to be able to receive funding from federal and state programs to create incentives. Utilizing these incentives, they hope to bring providers to areas where internet connection may be weak, or nonexistent.

By bringing service providers to these areas, the county hopes that they will be able not only to prepare for future growth but also help currently underserved businesses, schools and homes.

While the survey’s data has already received nearly 2,000 different responses, the actual report is set to be finished by the end of August due to the need to compile and filter the data sets into a usable report.

For more information on the survey, or to participate in it, visit hayscountytx.com/broadbandsurvey/