These maps show data from the Federal Communications Commission the varying degree of access to high speed (broadband) internet connections across Alameda County.

The first map shows the rate of households per 1,000 that have a broadband internet connection greater than 200 kbps (kilobits per second).  This map broadly shows the density of households that are considered to have, at the very least, the minimum connection speed required to be termed “high-speed”, defined currently as 200kbps. This is a useful measure of the volume of homes that do have access to modern web based resources, tools and communications. Given the volume of content easily available online for job searching, education, networking and following local current affairs, homes with no broadband connection are at a serious disadvantage in many ways.472x364xRTC_200kbps.png.pagespeed.ic.tImV_rNgY9

The second map is similar to the first map however it shows the rate of households per 1,000 that have a connection speed that is greater than 768 kbps downstream and greater than 200 kbps upstream.  Where the first map shows a more broad level of high speed access, this map shows more specifically the density of households that have what is considered a more robust connection speed. More modern websites, applications and uses of technology require increasingly fast connection speeds, as a result homes with a basic 200kpb connection suffer from a reduced experience and are less likely to engage in many online activities because of slow response and download times.RTC_768kbps

The third map shows the number of providers of fixed connections over 200 kbps in at least one direction.  This is an indicator of the open market versus monopolized markets in our county. Households in a census tract with only one provider have no choice in broadband providers and therefore have less power to choose from a range of services, speeds and price points.Providers_200kbps

It should be noted that on all of these maps the darker the shading areas the less the density of households with high speed access or less providers of high speed access.  This is done to highlight those communities that may be underserved or at least those communities that have less or slower access than the communities surrounding them.

Download all maps: