HYDE PARK — Chicagoans can compete for their share of $1 billion in internet infrastructure funding by taking online speed tests in the coming weeks, local researchers say.
The Illinois BEAD Challenge kicks off Tuesday. In the process, the state will require changes to federal maps of areas that require high-speed broadband internet service.
Illinois received $1.04 billion in federal broadband equity funds last year to support the state’s efforts to “connect all homes and businesses to modern, high-speed Internet,” officials said.
Officials said map updates during the challenge process will help ensure federal funds “go where they are needed” and prioritize unserved and underserved households and businesses.
“No service” areas have download speeds of 25 megabits per second or less and upload speeds of 3 megabits per second or less. “Underserved” areas have download speeds of 100 megabits per second or less and upload speeds of 20 megabits per second or less.
To participate, neighbors must take a speed test through the official speed test website on three different dates and submit each result. All three test results must be submitted by March 18.
For instructions on how to properly test and submit results, click here. For questions about the challenge process, please review the state’s challenge guidelines or contact the University of Chicago Internet Equity Initiative at internetequity@uchicago.edu.
why this is important
University of Chicago researchers and state officials said this week they hope the challenge process will bring needed improvements to areas where neighbors don’t get the internet performance they pay for.
Neighbors on the South Shore, for example, have complained for years about a “digital divide” in the city that limits their ability to maintain high-quality internet connections while working, studying and playing at home.
Past research has shown that “people on the South Shore pay the same for internet speeds as their neighbors on the North Shore, but they don’t get the same service.” [same] Quality of service,” Alexis Schrubbe, director of the Internet Equity Initiative, said in December.
However, under the current BEAD challenge map, much of the community – and nearly the entire South Side – is considered “served” by high-speed internet and is ineligible for federal funding.
To provide a more accurate picture of internet access in Chicago, speed test participants must submit their name, address, the broadband speed they paid for and the test results, said Nicole Marwell, co-principal researcher at the Internet Equity Initiative.
“A challenge will not be considered valid unless you have all the information about that person,” Marwell said. “All of this is [speed test] The website is for users to fill in and they really have to fill it all in, or [by law] Their challenge will not be accepted. “
Marvell said providing this information “might feel weird” but that the Internet Equity Initiative will not sell the data or use it for anything other than the challenge process.
Illinois officials say this is the first time the federal government has given states control over broadband maps.
The challenge phase will be followed by verification of all challenges by mid-April. Challenges that comply with national standards will be rebutted by ISPs who can demonstrate why the challenge is invalid or accept the challenge in early May.
A final decision on the challenge is expected to be announced in early summer. Homes and businesses deemed “unserved” are guaranteed broadband connectivity.
After unserved locations are connected, remaining funds will be used to support “underserved” locations and then provide 1,000 megabits per second internet speeds to “anchor institutions” such as hospitals, libraries and schools, officials said.
The challenge process is separate from an ongoing citywide study of internet inequality, through which University of Chicago researchers are also collecting data to drive broadband infrastructure upgrades.
Schrube said this week that researchers had received no input from South Shore residents because of the suspected mail incident, but after the Block Club reported the situation, researchers received about 100 submissions from neighbors.
Researchers say eligible South Shore residents will receive a speed-testing device that plugs into their WiFi router, allowing users to remain anonymous and not have their activity tracked. They will also receive a $50 gift card upon completion of their research.
The device “only looks outwards at the quality of the internet in their home, not inwardly at what someone is doing on the internet,” said project manager Nzinga Barberousse. “I often say it’s like a water meter in your home, it can see how much water you’re using but doesn’t know if it’s going to the kitchen, bathroom or pool.”
To apply to participate in the study, click here. For more information, click here. For frequently asked questions about the study, click here.
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