Fayette Urban Council pushing efforts to spread broadband, take speed test

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Zoom has gone from a sound a car makes to a regular household activity in less than a year.

And Fayette County’s urban government is trying to step up efforts to get broadband into every corner of the county.

City leaders are working with the state to make sure county residents are taking part in speed tests.

Speed Test Kentucky only takes around 30 seconds of your day to complete.

Type in the information and run the speed test. The test will allow for better access to the internet for Kentuckians in areas that do not have high-speed internet.

The deadline to complete the speed test is February 18.

In Fayette County, Spectrum, Windstream and other providers are using grants to try to serve remote areas. The need is critical.

“You got folks who are trying to work from home, children trying to be educated at home, they just won’t have that broadband capacity,” said 12th District Urban Council member Kathy Plomin.

“I will tell you that broadband right now is probably the hottest discussion that it’s ever been because if nothing else, the pandemic did is brought to light we cannot work, we cannot educate our children, we can’t continue our business if we can’t do it through the internet,” echoed Aldena Valicenti, the city’s Chief Information Officer.

District 12 in the city has one of the biggest broadband issues, but Spectrum is about to improve service to as many as 500 homes, Plomin said.