Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Todd O'Neill
So. Many. Maps. (…and Dashboards, oh my!)
Articles
- What Is the FCC’s New Broadband Map and Why Does it Matter?
- This article is from the project at the Pew Charitable Trust and is written by Project Director Kathryn DeWitt.
- First look: New version of the National Broadband Map
- From Mike Conlow’s “Mike’s Newsletter on Substack.”
- Getting a BEAD on Community Asset Mapping
- This article is from the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society and is written by Ron Dwyer-Voss, Pacific Community Solutions.
- Mapping the digital divide: What predicts Internet access across America?
- Greiman, L., Leopold, A., Ipsen, C., & Myers, A. (2023). Local Development & Society, 1–13.
- New Digital Equity Act Population Viewer Shows Broadband Access and Demographic Characteristics.
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Slow Internet? Find Out What Side of the Digital Divide You’re On
- Sankin, A., & Yin, L. (2023, May 11). The Markup.
Maps
- 2021 Digital Divide Index (DDI)
- Created by the Purdue Center for Regional Development in Indiana under the leadership of director Robert Gallardo. The Digital Divide Index combines data from a number of sources to identify populations who are un- or under-served by broadband Internet.
- Broadband Mapping Coalition
- A non-profit that provides neutral information and education about broadband mapping.
- Community Network Map (Community Networks/ILSR)
- According to the Community Networks website (a project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance – (ISLR), “This map tracks a variety of ways in which local governments have invested in wired telecommunications networks as well as state laws that discourage such approaches.”
- Microsoft Digital Equity Map
- A map developed by Microsoft in Power BI to help state agencies identify areas with the highest digital inequities using a data-driven approach. Uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 American Community Survey, BroadbandNow.com, and FCC 14th Broadband Report (Form 477) data. (Hope they update it!)
- The United State(s) of Broadband Map (Community Networks/ILSR)
- See the accompanying article for more information.
U.S. Government Maps
The Federal FCC maps are known for being inaccurate, especially the Form 477 maps whose data was supplied by internet service providers (ISPs) with no external data validation.
- FCC National Broadband Map. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2022
- A regularly updated map of broadband connectivity (also known as the National Broadband Availability Map) was mandated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) BroadbandUSA program.
- Broadband Funding Map
- Map developed by the FCC that identifies various broadband initiatives and how they were federally funded.
- Internet For All Map
- Map developed by the NTIA.
- FCC Maps. (n.d.). Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved April 18, 2023
- An index page of broadband, cellular and other maps supporting various Federal government programs managed by the FCC.
- FCC Form 477 Broadband Deployment Data—December 2020
- 2020 broadband map. Serve as the basis for the newer National Broadband Availability Map.
- FCC Form 477 Mobile Voice and Broadband Coverage Areas – August 2016
- 2016 broadband map. Superseded by the later Form 477 data map.
State Maps
- Maryland Digital Equity Scorecard Index Map
- “This map displays an index made up of three indicators pertaining to digital connectivity. It was created in an effort to develop a measure of digital equity in Maryland at the 5-digit zip code level.
The three indicators are:
1. Whether a household has a wireline internet subscription at home
2. Whether a household is reliant only on a cellular data plan for online connectivity at home
3. Whether a household has either zero or just one computing device for internet access.” - Internet Xplorer
- Map of Pennsylvania broadband locations developed by Penn State-based X-Lab Director Sascha Meinrath. The map color codes address across the state as being served, underserved, unserved, or with no reported service, in terms of broadband service. Its data comes from millions of broadband speed tests conducted by American households via tools from the internet performance measurement initiative M-Lab. (Requires Chrome browser. Does not work in Firefox.)
Organizations
- Mapping & Analysis | Connected Nation
- Connected Nation is a non-profit that is generally thought to be funded by the broadband industry. They provide mapping services and consultation to both governments (states and municipalities) and broadband providers. According to their website, they form “public-private partnerships” and work with ISPs and politicians.
- PAgCASA | Rural Broadband Mapping Project
- Map created by the Precision Ag Connectivity & Accuracy Stakeholder Alliance. “Bringing broadband to rural America through better data.”