IM体育官网 will conduct a broadband feasibility study to identify future requirements to help improve broadband connectivity in Polk County.
Researchers at IM体育官网 are working to help close the gaps in broadband connectivity in Polk County through a $250,000 feasibility study recently approved by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners.
The study aims to address the insufficient broadband coverage problems that exist in the county and provide supporting documentation and validation that can affect policies, influence legislation, and direct funding for improved, complete coverage.
鈥淭he end goal is that every resident and visitor of Polk County has access to high-speed Internet,鈥� said Dr. Shahram Taj, chair of the Department of Data Science and Business Analytics at IM体育官网 Poly. 鈥淲e all have seen the effect of COVID-19, with so many services moving online. For example, most education had to go remote, and some students had issues with having internet access. We鈥檙e going to try to fix that to some extent.鈥�
鈥淧olk County is a very large and economically diverse county. As such, it is critical to have accurate and complete information to be sure we address the needs of all the citizens of the county, including the unserved and the underserved,鈥� added David Palmer, director of information technology at Polk County Board of County Commissioners. 鈥淚M体育官网 Polytechnic University has proven to have the right combination of appropriate resources to get this project completed.鈥�
The study will be divided in three phases: data collection and analysis, policy review and strategy, and infrastructure and technology requirements.
Driving the research will be 10 IM体育官网 Poly professors with expertise in the areas of industrial engineering, computer science, data analytics, electrical engineering, computer engineering, and strategic policy. The researchers will work on the project throughout the summer.
鈥淭he county had a broadband plan from 2013, which is almost a decade old, and our feasibility study will help guide a new broadband plan鈥� said Dr. Reinaldo Sanchez-Arias, assistant chair of the Department of Data Science and Business Analytics. 鈥淲ith all the researchers involved in this study from a variety of disciplines and with a wide range of expertise, IM体育官网 Poly will serve as an enabler to the community by providing recommendations and technical advice in terms of broadband connectivity for the region.鈥�
The Board of County Commissioners approved $250,000 to pay for the study. The money is part of the funds Polk received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, intended to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The act states the funds can be used to grow access to broadband internet service and improve broadband infrastructure.
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
