Broadband test pinpoints location off of phone app

KINGWOOD — Preston commissioners are urging everyone to take a new broadband speed test.
Commissioner Don Smith, who is active on the Region VI Planning and Development Council broadband committee, said the new test is important.
“The great thing about it is, unlike some of the other ones, this one ties to exactly where your location is at, so that a more accurate map can be given to the FCC [Federal Communications Commission],” Smith said.
If the test is performed in an area without service, it will pinpoint the location and, when the test goes through, it shows zero upload and download speeds at that location.
“So that way they can get a very detailed map, unlike it is now with self-reporting with the different companies that they do, which have already been shown to be bogus,” Smith said.
Download the app, called “TestIt” and take the test. When done it will tell the user if results met federal recommended speeds. Those are 25 Mbps (megabits per second) download and 3 upload.
The West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council has prepared a map showing fixed wireline speeds as advertised by providers for consumers, taken from FCC Form 477.
It shows Preston County has only one area, around Interstate 68 in the northern end of the county, with download speeds of 1,000 Mbps and up.
Most of the county is shown at 100 Mbps or less, and large swaths of Preston as “no service with population” and less than 10.
“It runs real quickly. And if you just happen to be out in the county driving somewhere, stop and do it real quick,” Smith said. “If you don’t have service, that’s good to know.”
Commission President Samantha Stone said this kind of information helps when applying for grants to expand broadband in Preston County.
The National Association of Counties, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, the National Association of Development Organizations and Farm Credit partnered to develop the mobile app.
TWEET @DominionPostWV