Cape Cod, MA – June 19th – Frustration with poor internet service has reached its boiling point for residents, businesses, and municipalities on Cape Cod and the Islands during the summer months. Persistent issues of slow, unreliable, and expensive internet are critical barriers to economic development, healthcare, education, public safety, and overall sustainability in this economy. Today, a coalition of local non-profits, business owners, and residents launched the “FIX CAPE INTERNET CHALLENGE” to document these urgent issues to Massachusetts regulators and demand accountability, fair representation, and most of all, the necessary resources.
Kick-Off Event: Join us for the challenge kick-off event at Love, Live, Local in Downtown Hyannis at 539 South Street on Wednesday, June 26th at 11 AM. Listen to local connectivity advocates, learn more about the challenge, and watch as coalition members demonstrate the speed test on-site.
Challenge Overview: The challenge is a call to action for all residents, businesses, municipalities, and community anchor institutions (CAIs) to participate in a widespread effort to gather and submit accurate data on internet speeds over the next 30 days. Visit FixCapeInternet.com to take the necessary speed tests and contribute your data to give Massachusetts a clearer picture of the Cape’s strained connectivity.
Impact of Flawed Data: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has relied on self-reported data from big internet providers, which is fundamentally flawed and misleading. This single-source data model has mischaracterized the Cape’s connectivity problems, preventing necessary funding for improvements from reaching us. It’s like exclusively relying on big tobacco to give you accurate data on the health risks of cigarette smoke.
Reality on Cape Cod: Reliable internet is essential for vital services such as healthcare, education, workforce development, and public safety. Yet, the current service is inadequate, especially during the peak summer season. The misleading data from big internet providers hides our real struggles, forcing our communities to find workarounds. Why are we going backward when given adequate resources we could be future-proofing our community?
Cape Economy Suffers Unnecessarily: Cape Cod’s economy is uniquely impacted by seasonality, and this period is critical for local businesses, hospitality, public safety, and remote workers. The data collected by this challenge will highlight the inadequacies of our current infrastructure and give regulators the evidence they need to help us.
Who Should Take the Test? Anyone experiencing any of the following challenges with poor internet connectivity on Cape Cod:
– Struggling to work remotely due to freezing Zoom meetings.
– Elderly residents missing telehealth appointments.
– Failed credit card transactions at local stores.
– Teens complaining about online games glitching.
– Unable to take online classes.
– Slow and expensive internet options.
If these situations are familiar, take action! You can challenge the data. Massachusetts needs your proof of our internet service reality. Visit FixCapeInternet.com to contribute your data to faster more reliable connectivity for Cape Cod. With over 165,000 addresses on Cape Cod and the Islands, your participation will ensure the Cape’s voices are heard. To get involved and for instructions on how to submit your speed data, please visit FixCapeInternet.com.
Join the Coalition – To help spread the word about the challenge, request informational materials for your organization to use, or to receive updates on the challenge’s progress, send an email with your contact information to Submit@FixCapeInternet.com
