News
Connected Nation Previews Interactive Broadband Mapping Tool at Technology Policy Exhibition in Washington, D.C.
January 27, 2010
Andy Blair from George Washington University asks Connected Tennessee’s Michael Ramage for more detail about interactive broadband coverage maps while Sabrina Matteson, a representative from the American Farm Bureau Federation, observes the presentation.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) welcomes attendees to the Congressional Internet Caucus Kickoff Reception and Technology Policy Exhibition.
Connected Nation, in conjunction with ESRI, a market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, showcased its jointly developed new interactive mapping tool for viewing, analyzing, and validating broadband data at a technology policy exhibition on Capitol Hill.
At Tuesday’s technology policy kickoff reception, more than 100 people had the chance to view Connected Nation and ESRI’s BroadbandStat demonstration. Michael Ramage, Executive Director of Connected Tennessee, continued showcasing the technology well after the official end of the event.
Jon Gant, a professor at the University of Illinois at Champaign, stopped by to view the BroadbandStat demonstration on Tuesday.
Gant, who teaches GIS classes and has used GIS data from more than 20 years, was impressed by the easy, user-friendly interface of BroadbandStat.
“Look at how smooth the graphics transition from query to query,” he said, pointing to the screen of BroadbandStat. “And, the small things—like the menus—they are a lot better this way.”
“This [GIS data] is really complicated stuff,” he said Tuesday after viewing BroadbandStat. “And, how you all use and represent this complicated data with this kind of interface is really interesting,” he said.
Jim Geringer, director of Policy and Public Sector Strategies at ESRI and former governor of Wyoming, was on hand on Tuesday, prior to his participation in a Wednesday’s panel discussion, “Transforming Government Through Technology: The Real, The Possible, The Surprising.”
“The common underpinning of all activities—economic, social or health—is people connecting with other people and that activity doesn’t happen without broadband,” he said. “You will never understand how much information is in the world until you can connect with broadband. Broadband mapping—or showing who is connecting and who is not—is just the first step.”
The Technology Policy Exhibition is a free, educational event that briefs lawmakers and staff, reporters, and representatives from government agencies and private sector organizations on cutting-edge Internet technologies. It is the largest technology exhibition on Capitol Hill. Yesterday’s event served as the official kickoff of today’s 6th Annual State of the Net Conference, hosted by ICAC at the Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill
News: States Use ESRI's BroadbandStat Application for Broadband Initiatives
January 28, 2010
Ten U.S. states and one U.S. territory will soon launch comprehensive broadband mapping and planning initiatives based on ESRI's geographic information system (GIS) technology. They will use BroadbandStat, an application developed by ESRI and Connected Nation, to organize and display broadband service and related data on the Internet.
The BroadbandStat application hosts interactive Web maps that show broadband coverage across U.S. states and incorporates other relevant data. It includes tools that use service provider and demographics data to identify unserved and underserved broadband areas with optimum potential for new broadband infrastructure development. Its Web capabilities enable a shared picture of broadband data and support transparency by giving the public access to the information.
The new state broadband mapping initiatives are supported by more than $20 million in State Broadband Data and Development Program grants recently announced by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
"These grant dollars are an investment in the future of Texas," said Texas agricultural commissioner Todd Staples in a press release on NTIA's $2.5 million award to Texas. "Many communities do not have sufficient broadband service, which limits their abilities to attract new economic development opportunities. It is essential that families, schools, and businesses have high-speed Internet access that will open up the prospects for development."
Funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). More than $7 billion in ARRA stimulus funds have been designated to help expand broadband access in unserved and underserved communities across the United States. The NTIA grants were awarded to each state's designated project entity, which in many cases is Connected Nation, a nonprofit corporation and leader in promoting broadband expansion. Awards include the following:
- Florida: $2.5 million, to Florida Department of Management Services
- Illinois: $1.8 million, to Partnership for a Connected Illinois
- Iowa: $2.2 million, to Connected Nation
- Michigan: $1.8 million, to Connected Nation
- Minnesota: $1.7 million, to Connected Nation
- Nevada: $1.4 million, to Connected Nation
- Ohio: $1.8 million, to Ohio Office of Information Technology
- Puerto Rico: $1.4 million, to Puerto Rico Office of the Chief Information Officer
- South Carolina: $1.7 million, to Connected Nation
- Tennessee: $1.8 million, to Connected Tennessee
- Texas: $2.5 million, to Connected Nation
For more information about ESRI's BroadbandStat application, visit www.esri.com/bbstat.
Connect South Carolina Initiative Will Feature Latest in Broadband Mapping Technology.
Columbia, SC– Yesterday, South Carolina received a match grant of approximately $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to support a comprehensive broadband mapping and planning initiative through the Connect South Carolina program.
Connect South Carolina (www.connectsc.org) is a partnership between the state of South Carolina and Connected Nation to increase broadband Internet access throughout rural South Carolina. The grant is comprised of $1.2 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period and almost $500,000 for broadband planning activities over a five-year period in South Carolina, bringing the total grant award to approximately $1.7 million. The award provided through NTIA’s State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program is a matching grant and part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
