California sets aside billions to tackle internet connectivity issues

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) -- The Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast is working in Ventura County and they want to know if you're happy or annoyed with your internet connection.

California has set aside billions of dollars to look at internet connectivity.

The consortium has already collected data from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Now, it's time to figure out what Ventura County needs to make the internet available to everyone.

"We have $6 billion of funding flowing in from the state to take care of all of this," said Bill Simmons with the Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast. "I'm paid for by the CPUC and my job is to take the funds that are available and create this local approach to tackling these problems."

According to California, the goal is to have 98% of the state's residents to be able to connect to the internet. The consortium wants to hear from people who live in rural areas as well as densely-populated residential neighborhoods.

Bill Barnhill of Camarillo said that sometimes, the internet connection does not connect to his phone.

"There's couple of parking lots where I use my phone and I'm on the internet and it's just dead, so I have to drive a mile to go get hooked up again," Barnhill said.

But at home, Barnhill said his internet is perfect.

The data for Ventura County will be used to fill in the gaps where internet service isn't available.

Santa Rosa Valley resident James Dinges has a back-up power source at his home that helps keep his internet connection on when the power goes out.

"So when you lose power in the home and don't have internet access, this YETI battery has really been a game changer for me," he said.

If you're from Ventura County, visit https://pcbroadband.org to participate in this survey.