January 2, 2023 – Do you have reliable cell service and internet service where you live? Do you have it where you work? Are you paying a reasonable cost for your service? If the answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, it is vital that you visit one of these locations and correct the maps used to add new services, says Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison.
Map Review Options in Shelby County on Thursday, January 5
- Timpson City Hall, 456 Jacobs Street, Timpson from 9:30am to 11:30am
- Tenaha City Hall, 238 North George Bowers Drive, Tenaha from 12 noon to 2pm
- John D. Windham Civic Center, Foyer, 146 Express Blvd., Center from 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Multiple Shelby County residents have responded to Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) call to correct The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map showing what it believes is the type and speeds of internet service that is now available to every household in Deep East Texas. The map was built with information from the internet providers, including those in our region.
One respondent said he tried four times to get into the site and use the drop-down menus and they still wouldn’t work. More than one person accessing the site found that the providers listed did not offer service to their homes.
In response, DETCOG will be holding three public meetings on Thursday, January 5, in Shelby County to assist business and homeowners to look at their properties on the FCC website and to file correction requests. Meetings will be held Wednesday in Tenaha, Timpson, and Center with DETCOG and Shelby County staff on hand to assist.
Rural leaders from throughout Texas have voiced concerns that the map exaggerates the actual service that is available to Texans, especially those in rural communities. There is a process for individual households and communities to challenge the map data and is urging residents to look at the map and report inaccuracies. In partnership with the T.L.L Temple Foundation, DETCOG is working on a region-wide bulk challenge; however, the individual household challenges are an important part of this process. The timeline to participate in the challenge process is short. The deadline for challenges is January 13th.
Why is this so important?
More than $40 Billion from the Federal Government will soon be sent to states to expand internet connections. The new FCC map will determine how that money is allocated among the states, with funding allocated based on the number of unconnected homes on the map.
The goal of the meetings is to ensure that Shelby County and the Deep East Texas region receive a fair share of this funding. Some estimates for the region are that the inaccuracies may be as high as 25 percent. In Deep East Texas that could equate to more than 31,000 homes and could impact the region by as much as 25 million added dollars.
Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison describes the effort to correct the current map as vital to assuring that Shelby County can meet its broadband needs.
The process requires household residents to review their addresses on the map and report, with evidence, any errors and should take from 5 to 15 minutes per address.
For more information contact:
Mickey Slimp
DETCOG Broadband Project Manager
903-571-0892
mslimp@detcog.gov
