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2:27 am UTC May. 16, 2021 Debbie Wertz, DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce Reliable internet access used to be more of a want than a need. But especially after COVID-19, we realize that it is a lifeline. Quote icon Just a few weeks after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in Florida – early in March, 2020 – the state began to realize that reliable access to the digital world has become a necessity. Education, health care, employment, social services and many other aspects of our lives moved online – all things we suddenly needed more than ever. But in order to have effective digital access, people need three equally important tools: a reliable broadband connection, the right technology and digital literacy. ....
A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map shows that DeSoto County falls far behind surrounding counties, as well as the national average, when it comes to broadband speed. The map shows that 50.84% of DeSoto residential broadband customers have access to speeds higher than 100/10 Mbps, while the rest of the residential service is at 25/3 Mbps or less. The national average broadband speed as of 2020 was 86.04/11.86 Mbps. This means that nearly half of the DeSoto County residents only have access to internet speeds that are more than three times less than the national average. In neighboring Sarasota County, 94% of residents have access to speeds of 250/25 Mbps, more than 10 times faster than half of DeSoto County residents. In Manatee County, 99% of the population has access to the same high speeds as Sarasota, with 87% in Charlotte County. ....