Vermont Launches Statewide Speed Test to Track Broadband Buildout

Vermont has collected 1,454,850 speed tests since January 2023, and the state's broadband board now wants millions more. Earlier this month, the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) launched VT Speed Check, a website that lets residents and businesses measure their Internet connections and watch where high-speed access actually arrives as the state's Communications Union Districts (CUDs) build out new fiber networks.

The site, built in partnership with connectivity measurement firm Ookla, combines a downloadable speed test, an anonymously aggregated results map, troubleshooting tools, and plain-language explanations of what a given throughput supports. VCBB Executive Director Christine Hallquist framed the launch in accountability terms. "Taking speed tests is so important," she said in the launch announcement. "It's about transparency and accountability for the individual and the state."

Hallquist added a direct appeal for participation: "Vermonters can run a speed test and troubleshoot problems they're having with their Internet, and we'll be able to see results on a bigger scale to help us pinpoint areas that are having challenges and need more focus from us. We are asking all Vermonters to visit VT Speed Check, test your speed, and test it often."

How does the test work?

Residents download the speed test app to a computer. Officials said desktop installation produces more accurate location data than mobile testing, because a test run on a phone away from home Wi-Fi measures cellular service rather than the household connection. The map does not function on the mobile app at all.

Once results arrive, the site interprets them. VCBB officials offered concrete frames: at 2 Mbit/s, email works but video and downloads will not be reliable, while consistent 100 Mbit/s supports seamless streaming, fast uploads and downloads, and typical home or small-office capacity. The site also explains the difference between download speed, upload speed and latency.

The board encourages repeated testing. "Try testing at different times of the day and different days of the week," officials advised. "You'll likely find slower speeds during times when more people are online, such as evenings."

What does the map show?

Results aggregate into hexagons, counted by location and grouped by speed tier:

• No color: areas below 100/20 Mbit/s
• Shades of brown: asymmetrical service at or above 100/20 Mbit/s
• Shades of green: symmetrical service of at least 50/50 Mbit/s and capable of 100/100 Mbit/s or greater

At least one completed test is required for a hexagon to display results, according to Herryn Herzog, VCBB Communications, Strategy and Policy Director. "The map will be updated periodically as additional test results become available," she said, explaining that percentage-based symbology keeps appearance uniform across hexagons with widely varying numbers of locations. In a hexagon with four locations, one served location produces the lightest color; in a hexagon with 40, the lightest green holds until eleven unique tests are run.

The results, Herzog said, "will serve as supplemental data to the FCC's National Broadband Map. It can provide additional insights into broadband performance across Vermont." That federal map relies largely on provider-reported data, and a recent GAO report found it has long suffered inaccuracies that obscure where service actually falls short — the gap a state-run, location-level measurement tool is designed to close.

Who can participate?

The VCBB acknowledges that households without Internet access face barriers to joining a voluntary testing program. "The VCBB recognizes that people without Internet access face barriers to participating in speed tests," Herzog said. The board collaborates with local communities and organizations, and a pilot device donation program will supply devices to restorative justice centers to expand participation.

The 1,454,850 tests tallied between January 2023 and September 2026 now serve as the baseline. "We will receive October test results on Nov. 1, which will represent tests that have happened since the official VT Speed Check announcement and launch," Herzog said.

Is this a model for other states?

Vermont is not alone, but it is in a small group. A search found only nine other states with statewide speed-test collection efforts: Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, Hawaii, California, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania and Maine.

The stakes in Vermont are concrete. The bulk of new connections under construction there are fiber, and with a 1.4-million-test baseline in place, the state will soon be able to quantify the difference the CUD-built networks make — data that should show marked improvement as deployments continue. A step-by-step video, plus a confidential survey on Internet use, device access and digital skills challenges, is available on the VCBB website; survey responses, officials said, "will help shape programs for affordability, digital skills and cybersecurity training, and workforce development."