Percent of households in city limits with broadband internet (25 Mbps) coverage.

Making sure our community has reliable access to broadband internet is a key target for the City to remain a competitive economic center for the region. Currently, Tallahassee has over 15 internet service providers (ISPs) for homes and businesses. However, some residents have noted customer service and cost as challenges to internet access. A 2019 survey conducted by a team of Florida A&M University researchers found that 55% of those asked are satisfied with their overall internet experience. Of the 45% who were unsatisfied, most said internet speed and loss of connection were the main causes of their frustrations.

Tallahassee’s ISP community has 5 providers with at least 97% market coverage. Providers with both broadband service and high coverage have different ways for delivering internet, including by satellite, DSL, and fiber. Rates for broadband service in the city range from $29.99/month for homes to $499.95/month or more for 1Gbps-speed for businesses. Since 2019, a local ISP has connected more than 15,000 low-income families with broadband internet speed of 50 Mbps for only $9.95. Research from 2021 shows that poorer communities are slower to gain access to high-speed internet than wealthier communities. Tallahassee is bringing high-speed internet to residents 30% faster than other communities with similar poverty rates.

A new ISP is investing nearly $75 million in new high-speed fiber-optic infrastructure. This investment has improved internet coverage, speed, and access in Tallahassee, and is expected to improve these in surrounding areas in the future. As construction is completed, Tallahassee will be the first ‘Gigabit City’ in Florida

1. City of Tallahassee “Municipal Fiber Optic Network Overview.” March 6, 2019, http://go.boarddocs.com/fla/talgov/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B9LSTJ5AFFF6

2. “Internet Essentials.” 2021, https://internetessentials.com/

3. Bloomberg. “Data Watch: In the largest U.S. cities, the digital divide is a poverty problem.” July 21, 2021, https://bloombergcities.jhu.edu/news/data-watch-us-cities-poverty-broadband-divide.

Technology and Innovation. Last updated: November 2021