BEAVER · GARFIELD · IRON · KANE · WASHINGTON
The Five County Association of Governments (AOG) needs your help to build a path toward better internet connectivity and digital access in southwest Utah.
Five County AOG is developing a broadband plan to expand high-speed internet access and provide affordable connectivity in Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, and Washington Counties. The first step requires hearing from you.
Tell us about your internet connection at home. Do you have access? If so, does the speed meet your needs, or is your patience tested daily with a “loading . . .” screen? Is your access limited by data caps or available speeds? Has home internet become unaffordable to you?
Your responses to our survey will help us understand what connection looks like for you right now and guide us in closing the gap between those with and without access to full digital opportunities.
Click here to tell us about your internet connectivity
If you currently have internet access, take the 60-second Utah Internet Speed Test from the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity to help us map internet speeds.
Your Speed Test results will help identify gaps in high-speed internet service and areas in need of infrastructure expansion.
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If you don’t have access to the internet or have no available internet service, please call our hotline at 435-264-8880 to let us know.
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Share, share, share!
We need to hear from you, your neighbors, your friends, your grandma, your aunt with typos in her text messages, your colleague whose computer buffers in a meeting at home … everyone!
Access to high-speed, reliable, and affordable internet is critical to full participation in daily public life.
High-speed internet is no longer a luxury. Internet access is a critical component to connecting with loved ones, virtual learning, e-commerce, telework, and telehealth. Many residents in the Five County area do not have access to high-speed internet or connected devices. The gap between those with internet, access to devices, and digital skills and those without – called the digital divide – leads to economic, social, and political disparities for underserved populations.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey:
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More than 8,585 Five County area households do not have internet connectivity for a variety of reasons
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About 3,717 households do not have a connected device at home such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet
In creating a Five County broadband plan, our region will be prepared to take advantage of the historic investment in expanded broadband access made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Five County AOG’s broadband plan will inform the statewide digital connectivity plan and represent the needs of the residents and businesses in the Five County area.
Internet 101
Broadband internet, commonly referred to as high-speed internet, uses high-speed transmission technologies such as fiber, wireless, satellite, digital subscriber line, and cable to provide internet access. In order for your internet connection to be considered broadband, your internet speeds must be at least 25 Megabits per second for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads. Broadband is an essential resource for everyone, because it allows us to access the full potential of the internet.
THE NEED FOR SPEED
What does internet speed mean to me?
0-5
Mbps
5-40
Mbps
40-100
Mbps
100-500
Mbps
500-1000 Mbps
Send emails, search Google, stream videos in high definition (HD) on a single device,
stream music
Stream in HD on a few devices, play online games, run 1-2 smart devices, complete a
video call
Stream in 4K on 2-4 devices, play online games with multiple players, download big files (500 MB to 2 GB) quickly, run 3-5 smart devices
Stream 4K on 5+ devices, download very big files very quickly (2 to 30 GB), run 5+ smart devices
Stream in 4K on 10+ devices, download and upload gigabyte-plus-sized files at top speed, run 10 or more smart home devices with no delays
A high-speed internet connection has become an integral part of everyday life and is more than just having access to the web; it’s having the necessary bandwidth from a home or business to connect, learn and work.
Access to high-speed internet lays the foundation for quality healthcare, educational opportunities, and economic growth throughout Utah.
Affordability Options
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, health care, and more. The ACP provides eligible households $30 off their monthly internet bill. Additionally, eligible households can receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers with a $10 to $50 contribution toward the purchase price.
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To learn more about the ACP and see if you are eligible, visit acp.utah.gov.
While Five County AOG is making a broadband plan to close the digital gap in southwest Utah, there is funding available now to help you access high-speed internet if you qualify.
Contact Us
435-264-8880
Five County Association of Governments
1070 W. 1600 S., Bldg. B
St. George, UT 84770
fivecounty.utah.gov
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