POLK COUNTY BROADBAND PLAN
2 . Every resident of Polk County will have access to affordable high-speed internet services and the skills to utilize it , if they choose .
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This goal emphasizes the combination of access and skills . Currently , not all areas of Polk County have high-quality , affordable internet services . At the same time , not all residents of the county have access to high-quality , affordable computer training . In order to maximize the potential positive impact of broadband for the county ’ s residents , training opportunities should be made available for those residents who wish to acquire the skills necessary to utilize broadband . At the same time , competition among providers should be increased and alternatives offered so that all residents who wish to include broadband in their household budgets can do so .
3 . Anchor Institutions ( including energy providers ) will maximize utilization of broadband services and technologies in order to increase efficiency , maximize resources , and provide the best services possible to the businesses and residents of Polk County .
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This goal places emphasis upon the necessity for Anchor Institutions to make the best use possible of broadband . Even the fastest broadband connections in the world are useful only when those who are connected utilize them effectively . If Community Anchor Institutions increase their efficiency and optimize their use of resources , they will be able to provide better services to the community , using technology to improve many aspects of life .
4 . Every business and non-profit in Polk County will have access to affordable high-speed internet services and the skills to utilize it , if they choose .
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This goal goes hand in hand with Goal # 2 . In terms of broadband , what will be beneficial for residents will also be beneficial for businesses ; and at the same time , high-quality training is needed in order for workers to develop the new skillsets that enable them to maximize use of broadband technology .
5 . Polk County will have the fastest , most affordable , and most accessible mobile networks possible .
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This goal relates to the mobile sector of broadband . Mobile broadband connections are important in many sectors , from agriculture , where machinery and personnel are often managed through mobile broadband connections , to the office environment , where workers often use mobile broadband to stay connected during meetings . A state-of-the-art mobile network will allow people in the county to stay connected in any place , at any time .
6 . 205,000 households ( 79 % of households ) in Polk County will have affordable access to actual download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and actual upload speeds of at least 50 megabits per second .
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This goal mirrors the national long-term goal set forth in the National Broadband Plan : “ At least 100 million U . S . homes should have affordable access to actual download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and actual upload speeds of at least 50 megabits per second .” 15 The goal was adjusted proportionally for Polk County based on the total number of households projected for the year 2020 .
Goal prioritization and strategy development are the result of a collective effort by the Broadband Polk Advisory Committee , Central Florida Regional Planning Council staff , and the public . Participants provided input via a worksheet on which goals could be prioritized and strategies submitted . The goal prioritization input from the forms is summarized in Table 5 and the worksheet is shown in Appendix A .
15 Federal Communications Commission . National Broadband Plan Executive Summary . http :// www . broadband . gov / plan / executive-summary /
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