Houston County Residents Asked to Check their Online Speed

Special to the Messenger

HOUSTON COUNTY –  Inaccuracies in the New Texas Broadband Map could decrease the amount of money available to improve Broadband Internet Services in Deep East Texas. However, you can help your county or city in their efforts to have these mistakes corrected!

Initial studies have found up to 30% of the addresses of homes and businesses in the region are not even represented on the Map! Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) is working with local governments in the region to gather proof of errors in the New Texas Broadband Map. You can do your part by taking their Broadband Internet Survey from your home or business internet – not from your phone.  The survey is posted at the DETCOG website: www.detcog.gov. 

The information taken from these surveys will be gathered and submitted to the Texas Broadband Office.  To have enough time to prepare the information for submission, all surveys need to be completed by Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Challenges to the Map must be submitted to the Texas Broadband Office by the following Monday.

As more people take the survey the report to the Broadband Office will become more accurate.  Encourage as many of your extended family, friends and co-workers take the survey as possible!

For more information on the Map and what you can do to help make it more accurate, contact Mickey Slimp at [email protected].

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]