The Maui News

The ‘Auamo Collaborative recently launched the Rural Broadband Mapping Project aimed at discovering broadband capabilities in the rural areas across the state.

Results from the Rural Broadband Mapping Project will provide a snapshot of the strength or weakness of Internet connectivity in certain rural communities on Hawaii Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kauai.

“The lack of access affects a families” ability to obtain educational opportunities, telehealth services, and government assistance, made even more acute by pandemic restrictions that hinder people’s access to in-person services,” said Brad Bennett, founder of ‘Auamo Collaborative.

A statewide survey supported by Kamehameha Schools and conducted by Marzano Research reported that 34 percent of Native Hawaiians and 35 percent of non-Hawaiians experienced insufficient access to digital devices and Internet connectivity. For those households struggling economically, almost one in three have no Internet service.

Hawaii residents, especially in rural areas, can assist in this broadband mapping effort by taking an online survey at https://bit.ly/BroadbandGIS.

Residents can also assist by becoming a data collector.

Team members will be deployed to targeted island regions to monitor quality of Internet coverage, ability to access broadband services, and gauge broadband utility.

Community Outreach Team members will be compensated $150 per day for up to 12 days, depending on the location.

Interested applicants can send an email to kokua@auamocollaborative.org.