Published: 3/16/2021 2:07:32 PM
NORTHAMPTON — Should Northampton create a municipal broadband network?
That's the primary question behind newly launched city surveys for residents and businesses.
The city has been looking into the possibility of municipal broadband, and residents have formed the Northampton Community Network, a group that has been pushing for a public high-speed network. The market survey is part of consulting firm Design Nine’s study of the issue in Northampton, a project the city commissioned.
“Now we want a deeper understanding of what Northampton consumers expect from their internet service, and to what extent those expectations are currently met,” Mayor David Narkewicz said in a statement. “This survey data will be critical to determining our next steps on municipal broadband and I urge everyone to participate and to encourage their friends and neighbors to take the survey.”
The survey can be accessed online at www.northamptonma.gov/2223/Municipal-Broadband-Study, and paper copies will be sent in the mail, according to the mayor’s office. Residents and businesses are encouraged to fill out the survey by April 23.
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.