I love a competition in January – from St Paul Winter Carnival Treasure Hunt to beating others states at taking state broadband speed tests. And while I have my Carnival button, just incase I find the medallion first, I’m feeling better about the odds for winning the most speed tests award.

Regular readers will know that GEO Partners have partnered with Minnesota Broadband Coalition to encourage people throughout Minnesota to take the broadband speed tests. Traditional broadband maps have been built largely on broadband provider-supplied data; GEO Partner maps are built on user-supplied data. Well, Kentucky is the latest state to take on the user-focused mapping, largely with the help of the Center for Rural Development.

GEO Partners report in an email…

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced today the launch of the Kentucky Broadband Speed Test, a crowd-sourcing project that will gather data from Kentuckians needed to expand internet home access for distance learning, telework and telehealth. Kentuckians can take the free, anonymous speed test from Jan. 19 to Feb. 18 at ewdc.ky.gov/Initiatives/Pages/KBI.aspx.

This means four states are using the mapping:

• Kentucky Broadband Initiative
• Maine Broadband Coalition
• Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition
• Washington State Broadband Office – State Public Works Board Mapping Initiative

You can see from the map, that Minnesota’s definitely in the running but here are the map stats:

• Minnesota has mapped 32,171 locations.
• Washington has mapped 32,307.
• Kentucky is at 10,984 (as of Sunday)– but they have only been up a few days.
• Main has mapped 10,083

We’re going to need a burst of energy to get the most mapped!