THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUR SURVEY
The Canal Internet Access Survey is now closed. Results are being tallied and will be delivered to the leadership of the City of San Rafael. Stay tuned for more information about how you can help get better Internet in the Canal neighborhood!
Help improve internet service in the Canal Neighborhood!
Now, more than ever, broadband Internet is an essential and crucial service to those who live, learn and work in the City of San Rafael. In some areas, high-speed Internet is not available. In order to bridge this digital divide, the City of San Rafael needs to gain a better picture of which properties do not have the essential internet they need. For this, we need your help!
This survey provides accurate data regarding which properties have Internet access and the affordability if access is available. Information gathered will only be used to support broadband Internet expansion efforts and will aid in seeking grant funding to increase broadband availability in the Canal neighborhood.
Completing this survey should take five minutes or less. Any information submitted will not be sold, but may be used in planning to expand access opportunities with government and local partners. We understand that you may not have all the necessary information to answer each question on this survey, please answer to the best of your ability.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY?
A: The goal of this survey is to identify areas of Canal that do not have broadband Internet or have poor broadband Internet service.
A: Please call our resident answer line at (415) 758-1450 or email [email protected].
A: Try refreshing the web page, or accessing the link from a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc).
If issues continue, please call our resident answer line at (415) 758-1450 or email [email protected].
A: When you have completed the survey, a thank you message will appear.
A: While the survey will work on a cell phone, participants are encouraged to complete it from a home or business internet connection.
A: When visualizing bandwidth, or broadband speed, it may help to think of an Internet connection as a system of roads. If there is only one lane and a lot of traffic, it will take a long time for a group of cars to reach their destinations. But if more lanes are available, the same group of cars can reach their destinations much quicker. “Broadband” is Internet access, but the term refers to a high-speed Internet connection that provides a user the capability to upload and download high-quality video, data and images. Current federal standards define broadband as 25 megabits per second for download and 3 megabytes per second for upload. Technology to deliver this connection can include wireless, satellite, fiber and more.
A: A home internet subscription provides internet access to a single residence or apartment unit. You cannot take your home internet service with you to another location. For example, if you get your internet service from a cell phone or hot spot, these devices can be taken to other locations and are not considered home internet subscriptions.
A: All residents of the Canal neighborhood are encouraged to complete the survey regardless of connectivity status. Even if your residence has Internet, it is critical to broadband planning and improvement efforts that your household data is recorded.
A: Residents who work from home should complete the appropriate survey (fixed Internet or non-fixed Internet). Answer the question “(my home has an internet subscription or my home does not)”
A: Complete the survey using one of the two options at the top of this page, found here. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. All survey respondents who enter their address and complete the full survey are automatically entered into the drawing. Only one drawing entry per address is permitted. A mailing address is required to send the prize to the winner. This information is secure and will not be shared with any third party outside of Merit Network and will solely be used for the purpose of broadband data mapping. The odds of winning a gift card depend on the total number of eligible entries.
A: Each week starting September 29, 2023 through November 20, 2023, one winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries. The winners will receive their gift card via standard shipping through the USPS to the address entered in the survey. Limit 1 prize per mailing address.
About the Canal Internet Access Survey
In September 2022, the City of San Rafael, in partnership with the County of Marin, submitted a Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) proposal for a broadband feasibility study in the Canal Qualified Opportunity Zone. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) awarded a grant for this project intended to analyze community needs, recommend capable models, prove feasibility, identify eligible funding sources, and assist with preparing the documentation necessary to apply for and receive state and/or federal funding assistance to expand Internet infrastructure. After a public bidding process, EntryPoint Networks was selected to conduct the feasibility study, along with their partner organization, Merit Network. The best solutions to local challenges begin by engaging the residents who experience the effects of today’s problems. To analyze community needs, Merit Network is conducting this neighborhood survey. We want to hear directly from residents in the Canal neighborhood about Internet availability, speed and accessibility. Merit Network has successfully completed similar community engagement and data collection projects in their home state of Michigan through their broadband program, the Michigan Moonshot. The results of this survey will inform a network feasibility and planning effort led by EntryPoint Networks. The data and resident stories collected will also help the City of San Rafael and Marin County apply for upcoming grants and funding opportunities to build and improve broadband infrastructure in the San Rafael area.
Learn more about our survey partners
For more information:
www.merit.edu/moonshot
http://quello.msu.edu/
https://www.measurementlab.net/
Copyright © Merit Network, 2022. All rights reserved. Distribution and reuse of this survey is strictly prohibited without prior written consent.