Accelerate Virginia Fact Sheet
Things to know:
- Numerous, often temporary factors affect speed test results. When you connect to the Internet, the speeds that you will experience will vary based on a variety of factors, including:
- The time of day and day of the week,
- Network or Internet congestion - different times of the day are busier than others,
- The configuration of the computer you are testing from,
- Your home network configuration,
- The number of computers and other networked equipment using the available bandwidth at the same time a speed test is being run,
- The condition the wiring at your location,
- The server and router speeds of the websites you access,
- The distance between the testing computer and the speed test server - The Accelerate Virginia speed testing server is located in Blacksburg Virginia.
- End-user information collected from Accelerate Virginia and other sources will be used to supplement service provider data collected by the state for integration into the Virginia and National broadband maps.
- The Accelerate Virginia speed test is seeking widespread citizen input: A large sample size allows the ability to make statistically valid claims.
- The Accelerate Virginia speed test measures the bandwidth along the entire path of the selected network connection, between the client running the speed test and the speed test server, which is located at Virginia Tech. Depending on how a consumer's Internet traffic is routed, the path between the client and server may include communication routes outside the control of any particular service provider.
- The Accelerate Virginia speed test represents a realistic user experience of connection speed at a single moment in time, not the theoretical potential of an actual connection type.
- A single speed test is not a fair overall assessment; speed test results vary with time of day, network congestion and where the client is located with respect to where the speed test server is located.
- Geographic markers on the map are only as accurate as the user's selection.
- Accelerate Virginia is based on Internet2's open source Network Diagnostic Tool (NDT). NDT represents one example of a speed test technology. There are many other speed tests available, for instance: SpeedMatters, Ookla, Speedtest.net.
Why:
- Historically and for legitimate reasons, service providers resist sharing proprietary information regarding the geographic location of their infrastructure and services.
- To gain deeper insight into Internet availability in Virginia.
- To 'see' where, and what kind of Internet services and providers are available in Virginia.
Benefits:
- Service providers could use the map as a tool for locating new market areas.
- Residents will be informed of local broadband conditions and available service providers.
- In areas where the map reveals an abundance of high-speed connectivity, communities could use the map and associated data as a means to attract technology workers and employers.
- In areas where the map reveals a lack of high-speed connectivity, communities could use the map and associated data to justify the need for competitive service provision and/or the development of local infrastructure.
- The mission of eCorridors is to facilitate and promote the ability for every person, organization and community in Virginia and beyond to have the capability, at a reasonable cost to produce and access high volume information and services in the networked world.
- eCorridors is a primary means through which government, private sector industry and community stakeholders participate and collaborate with university researchers and Information Technology professionals.
- Part of the eCorridors Information Technology mission is to participate in, support and enhance research.
- It was developed by faculty at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) in the spring of 2000 to promote and facilitate broadband access for communities of Virginia and beyond..
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
- NTIA was created in 1978 as an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
- NTIA serves as an executive branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policies.
- NTIA performs cutting-edge telecommunications research and engineering and administers infrastructure and public telecommunications facilities grants.
- The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provided the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) with $7.2 billion to expand access to broadband services in the United States. Of those funds, the act provided $4.7 billion to NTIA to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure, enhance and expand public computer centers, encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service, and develop and maintain a nationwide public map of broadband service capability and availability.
- On July 8, 2009, the NTIA published the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program (SBDD) pursuant to the authority provided by the ARRA of 2009 and the Broadband Data Improvement Act (BDIA). The ARRA provides funding, through grants from NTIA, for states and U.S. territories to implement the SBDD program, collect data and create maps of broadband availability. The states will collect broadband service data and deliver this information to NTIA as outlined in the NOFA Appendix A: Technical Appendix. The NOFA also directs the states to develop publicly accessible statewide broadband maps and allows for statewide broadband planning initiatives.
- Governor Kaine appointed The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) as designee for Virginia's broadband mapping initiatives.
- NTIA has awarded CIT $1,799,979 for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period and $500,000 for broadband planning activities over a two-year period in Virginia, bringing the total grant award to approximately $2.3 million.
- CIT partnered with eCorridors to execute the Virginia data collection and mapping activities.
- Virginia Tech's Center for Geospatial Information Technology and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency/ Virginia Geographic Information Network are teamed with eCorridors to conduct the work.
Understanding Broadband
Accelerate Virginia Speed Test
Help Accelerate Virginia map current Internet availability throughout the Commonwealth. Run the speed test and get an instant review of your broadband speed connection, as well as a survey of what others in your community are reporting.
Accelerate Your Community
Take an active role in the Accelerate Virginia project. Access resources and learn how you can organize a local speed test campaign in your area.
Connect With Us
Tell us how high-speed Internet has made an impact in your life, or in your community. If you do not have access to broadband in your area, let us know your concerns.
