Are you tired of slow and expensive internet service? The Town of Barkhamsted is exploring options to provide a choice for better, faster, and more affordable internet through a locally owned fiber optic network to connect and serve our entire community.We invite residents and business to participate in a community survey to share your views. The survey includes an online speed test to assess the performance of your current internet service and a poll with 14 questions. To participate in the survey, simply enter your address below and click the GO button.
After taking the survey, please share a link to this page with your family, friends, and neighbors to participate as well!
Internet Facts
Did you know…
- Most home internet service in Barkhamsted is currently connected using traditional coaxial cable technology. At best, coax delivers adequate but unreliable service with download speeds of about 100 mbps and upload speeds of approximately 10 Mbps (100/10). The federal government recently redefined the minimum standard for broadband to 100/20 Mbps, which still doesn’t come close to meeting moderate real-world bandwidth needs now or in the future.
- Fiber optic broadband can deliver 10x the bandwidth of coax cable with a 1 Gigabit (1000/1000 Mbps) connection that eliminates buffering, slow loading and unstable signals. This future-proof technology can provide unlimited bandwidth for decades to come with inexpensive equipment upgrades. Fiber also delivers affordable Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service, a higher quality connection than copper phone lines or cable. Charter Spectrum has no plans to upgrade their network in Barkhamsted from coax to fiber.
- Since the 1980s, cable TV was the only option to access news and entertainment. Internet streaming is now a money-saving alternative to watch live, local, and premium content from home, or anywhere you have a reliable high-speed WiFi or a mobile Internet connection.
- The current cable broadband network serving Barkhamsted is owned and controlled by Charter Spectrum, a private, for-profit company. A locally owned fiber-to-the-home network could deliver faster, higher quality service with connections to every property at affordable rates. Local ownership would allow the people who live and work in Barkhamsted to control the network infrastructure and service delivery. Pricing would be transparent and consistent, with no surprise fees, and revenues would stay in the community.
