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Welcome to Connected Nation’s Broadband data center. Here you will find the latest research, policy and mapping efforts of Connected Nation and our programs. We invite to explore our work on adoption, access and use of broadband.
DATA CENTER - MAPPING
Analysis of Connect America Fund Eligible Areas
In December 2012, the FCC launched a process for the public to review the accuracy of broadband availability data currently listed on the National Broadband Map. In particular, the FCC released a list census blocks without broadband service at speeds of at least 3 Mbps download/768 kbps upload that the FCC believes to be eligible for Phase I of the Connect America Fund broadband subsidy program.
In conjunction with this release, Connected Nation has created a series of maps for our state-based programs, comparing and contrasting the data with ours. If you have any questions about these maps, please contact your Connected Nation mapping contact or send an email to policy@connectednation.org.
Education and Broadband Maps
In September 2012, Connected Nation explored the role of broadband in education. Below are several custom national maps, exploring how the access, adoption, and use of technology depends on education.
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High School Dropout Rate |
Percent of County Residents with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher |
Percent of County Residents with a High School Diploma
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USF Mobility Fund Eligibility Maps & Analysis
Connected Nation has released maps and analysis of areas that need improved access to next-generation mobile broadband networks.
Recently, the Federal Communications Commission announced its plans to distribute $300 million in wireless infrastructure subsidies to many areas in Connected Nation’s ten-state footprint. These subsidies – called the Mobility Fund – will be allocated later in 2012. Our analysis compares the FCC’s list of areas eligible for these subsidies to our own broadband inventory information.
Our analysis focuses upon areas that do not have access to mobile download speeds of 1.5 Mbps. Every “3G” technology that the FCC will subsidize with the Mobility Fund is expected to have the potential of delivering at least 1.5 Mbps service.
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National Broadband Map
On February 17, 2011, the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released an interactive National Broadband Map.
The National Broadband Map is a tool to search, analyze, and map broadband availability across the United States. It is created and maintained by the NTIA, in collaboration with the FCC, and in partnership with 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia.
This map showcases data received from these states and territories, including data from the 13 Connected Nation mapping initiatives.
KEY FEATURES OF THE NATIONAL BROADBAND MAP INCLUDE:
- Interactive and searchable, by address, city, or county;
- Shows multiple speed tiers. For example, users are able to generate a map of areas in which advertised download speeds of 10 Mbps are available;
- Visible by Technology Platform. Users are able to select and map specific broadband platform technologies, be it cable, DSL, fiber to the premises, fixed wireless (licensed and unlicensed), or mobile wireless;
- Shows service-provider coverage areas. This allows the user to generate coverage maps of a particular service provider, by speed tier and technology.
Already, Connected Nation has produced a variety of interactive and static maps for 12 states and Puerto Rico. You can explore those maps on the individual initiatives pages linked on the state programs page.
SO, HOW ARE OUR MAPS DIFFERENT FROM THE NATIONAL BROADBAND MAP?
The key differences are:
- State maps display broadband data differently than the National Broadband Map based on the requirements for the submission of data to NTIA, specifically the granular level of the data.
- The state maps feature more granular-level aggregated data because states can decide at which level they want to showcase data.
Want to learn more about our mapping? Visit the mapping frequently-asked questions page. Have questions about the map? E-mail us at maps@connectednation.org
