Live in Wayne County and don't have internet? Let FCC know by Friday

Peter Becker, Tri-County Independent
·3 min read

The Federal Communications Commission is under the impression that the entirety of Wayne County is served by broadband internet, but the county commissioners beg to differ.

They are asking their constituents who lack internet to let the FCC know by Friday, January 13.

To let the FCC know one must go online, which requires internet connection. This may be accomplished by way of a smartphone or the free computer services offered at any of the public libraries in the Wayne County library system.

The FCC has a new map on their website showing where internet service is available across the country, according to data required to be given the FCC by internet service providers. The FCC reviews the data and then publishes it on the National Broadband Map. The public can easily dispute information shown on the map that the public believes to be inaccurate.

"An accurate map will help identify the unserved and underserved communities most in need of funding for high-speed internet infrastructure investments," the FCC states.

"They report that we are 100% covered in Wayne County, but many of us know that is not the case particularly in the outlying areas," Mikki Uzupes, Community Network Specialist Wayne Tomorrow! told commissioners.

A screenshot shows a previous version of the FCC broadband map.
A screenshot shows a previous version of the FCC broadband map.

"So, every Wayne County resident is urged to go online… just Google the FCC broadband access map; there are tutorials online of how to go to challenge whether or not the service is available."

Commissioner Jocelyn Cramer said it is important.

"What concerns us that all future funding to improve broadband may be based on those maps, that information, if they think Wayne County is covered and served, that is less funding to move forward." She asked residents to plug in their address on the FCC broadband map site and if isn't correct about their internet availability, to complete the FCC's survey.

Dennis Ford, Wayne County's IT director, said that the county does not have an accurate idea of the extent of broadband coverage, and therefore would like as many residents as possible to challenge the FCC map to improve the accuracy.

"With that, we know that northern areas of Wayne County have the largest area of unserved citizens," Ford said.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) administers the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Grant Program, the largest broadband program created by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act with a funding totaling approximately $42.5 billion.

The FCC notes that funding allocations will be impacted partly by the data that is in the maps. NTIA has announced that challenges should be submitted by January 13, 2023, to be considered in the final version of the map that will be used in allocating the BEAD funding.

The website link is: fcc.gov/BroadbandData/consumersFor more information, visit: bit.ly/3vFqUmd

Other topics:

  • Commissioners agreed ratify a one-year agreement between Wayne County and Patrick L. Robinson to serve as a temporary special assistant district attorney through December 3, 2023 at a rate of $5,833.33 a month. Robinson serves under Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell.

  • Chairman Brian Smith said they are looking to fill the seats on the county's Election Board for the 2023 election cycle, since the three commissioners will be on the ballot and therefore cannot serve on the Election Board at the same time. He said they must pick two Republicans and one Democrat, to match the composition of the present board of commissioners.

  • Commissioners approved a request by Honesdale Borough to use the Park Street Complex facility for their regular council meetings on the third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m., throughout 2023. The borough is being charged $35 per hour to cover the cost of posting a sheriff's deputy at the meetings. Council decided to relocate the meetings from City Hall, primarily to improve safety and security.

  • Jennifer Meagher was honored for her first five years serving as Judicial Secretary and Jury Manager in the Court of Common Pleas.Wayne County Commissioners meet on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the courthouse.

Jennifer Meagher was lauded by the Wayne County Commissioners, January 5, for her exemplary performance during her first five years serving as Judicial Secretary and Jury Manager in the Wayne County Court of Common Pleas. Seated from left: Laura Hooker, Court Reporter; Jennifer Meagher; Judge Janine Edwards. Standing: Commissioners Brian Smith and Joceyln Cramer; Judge Matthew Meagher; Chloe Romanowski, Law Clerk; DJ Savage, Deputy Court Administrator; Nicole Hendrix, Court Administrator and Commissioner James Shook.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Live in northern Poconos and don't have internet? Let the FCC know.