In its continuing efforts to make sure residents and businesses have access to competitive, state-of-the-art Internet, phone and video services, the City of Eagan asked residents in 2006 to tell us what they thought in a 15-question survey.

Price and speed of connection are the most important factors in selecting Internet service according to a City survey of Eagan residents.  The results are part of a technology survey sent out in 2006 Eagan water bills.  Nearly 5,000 Eagan residents responded.

Among the more interesting findings:

• Nearly 1 in 5 respondents use the Internet for a home-based business
• E-mail, checking favorite Web sites, and online shopping are the top 3 reasons Eagan residents use the Internet.
• 44% of residents responding have cable modem access to the Internet, compared with 17% for DSL and 27% who still have dial-up.
• Only 6% of residents do not have or do not choose to have Internet access from their home.  (The survey did not ask about age or income.)
• While nearly 38% of residents responding are very satisfied with the speed of their Internet connection, 1 in 4 said current speeds are too slow.  

“Competitive access to the Internet is clearly an issue Eagan residents feel strongly about,” said Ruthe Batulis, President of the Northern Dakota County Chambers of Commerce and member of the Eagan Technology Working Group.  See survey charts.

“We also learned an increasing number of citizens, 13%, no longer use a regular wire line phone as their primary phone service,” said Eagan Communications Director Tom Garrison.  “Because more people are relying on their cell phone or Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone services, we are going to have to study the implications for public safety in sometimes not being able to immediately pinpoint the location of 9-1-1 emergency calls.” Citizens wishing to know more about this issue should refer to the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board Web site.

The survey, which will be used by the Eagan Technology Working Group to advise the City Council on technology policy, yielded other interesting data regarding residents’ desire for wireless access.  Nearly half of all respondents said they would not use wireless access in public places, but 2 in 10 said they would use wireless if offered, and another 3 of 10 said it depends on price.

The Dakota County Library, coffee shops and the Eagan Community Center were the top three places residents wanted wireless access, though some even wanted it in parks and at ball fields. Eagan’s Wescott Library and several local coffee shops already provide wireless access.

The survey also indicated that the marketing strategy of providers bundling their services may not be working as well as companies might hope.  Only 20% get their phone, TV and Internet service from a single provider and 35% get all of those services from separate providers, perhaps indicating they don’t want to “put all their eggs into one basket.”

“These results are extremely valuable in helping Eagan continue to ensure we have competitive telecommunications services for the future,” said Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges.  Residents are apparently concerned about that, too.  More than three-quarters of respondents said they are concerned the U.S. is falling behind other countries in the development of next-generation Internet capabilities.

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