Broadband Ready Communities Program
The Broadband Ready Communities Program was created by the State to encourage broadband development in Indiana. The program was established by IC 5-28-28.5.
What it means to be Broadband Ready
Being a Broadband Ready Community means that our community has taken steps to create more broadband infrastructure investment. This designation doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Shelby County will receive investment proposals. However, it does send a signal to area broadband partners and telecommunication providers that our county is open to discussions for new ideas on how to improve internet connectivity in order to bring reliable and affordable broadband to every county resident who desires it.
In November of 2021, Shelby County’s county commissioners passed the ordinance necessary to qualify for Broadband Ready Certification. Since then, the Shelby County Broadband Taskforce was established for the benefit of county residents, businesses, and organizations towards improving broadband connectivity and digital inclusion. In August of 2022 Shelby County was officially certified as a Broadband Ready Community.
This certification, along with the coordinated efforts of the taskforce, elected officials, and residents can help ensure that Shelby County does not get left behind as the rest of Indiana progresses in broadband connectivity.
Internet service providers who want to get in touch with the County regarding future broadband partnerships should refer to the contact information below.
Shelby County Digital Ambassador/County Council
Email: s_linda@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 317-753-4319
25 W. Polk Street
Room 104
Shelbyville, IN 46176
SIRPC Economic Resiliency Coordinator, Digital Inclusion
Email: digitalinclusion.sirpc@gmail.com
Phone: 812-689-5505
Quick Links
FAQs
A VPN means virtual private network. When one is activated, your data and online activity is shielded from third party trackers by connecting you to a private server before it connects to the server of the website you are visiting. You are given a temporary IP address, and your real, permanent IP address is hidden. This protects your online privacy and security, especially when you are connected to public wifi.
The Indiana Farm Bureau wanted to help bring reliable broadband internet to the State’s most unserved and underserved areas. To answer this need, they created the Indiana Broadband Strategic Partnership in conjunction with other organizations who are passionate about closing the digital divide for Indiana communities. The speed-test is a crowd sourcing platform powered by GEO Partners, LLC which records internet speed tests results in order to form a map of what actual speeds are available and where. Tracking these results will help us form a fuller picture as to which areas are being left out of adequate and reliable broadband internet connectivity. To read more information about the IBSP, visit this page. ***Note that your IFB agents will not be able to give you information regarding this initiative.