Kansas Broadband Access
Project Description
Kansas Broadband Access
A partnership with Institute for Policy & Social Research to understand and address a key technology challenge.
Project Details
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Community Partner: Institute for Policy & Social Research
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Data Categories: Social Science Keywords: broadband, internet, Kansas Data Type: Tabular Data
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Project Year: 2023
Project Resources
The Challenge
Recent research by the Institute for Policy & Social Research (IPSR) at the University of Kansas has revealed significant discrepancies between Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband access estimates and actual on-the-ground connectivity in Kansas. While the FCC claimed that 85.8% of Kansans have access to broadband speeds of 100+ Mbps download, IPSR’s survey data suggested only 43.5% have such access, with the two sources agreeing only 25% of the time. This project aims to provide an additional independent validation of Kansas broadband access using Ookla Speedtest data—real-world speed measurements collected from users’ mobile devices connected to home internet services. By analyzing geographic patterns in actual internet speeds and comparing them with FCC maps, Microsoft usage data, and IPSR survey results, this project will strengthen the evidence base for policy decisions regarding broadband infrastructure investment in Kansas and provide a methodology for more accurate assessment of rural broadband gaps.