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POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Economic and Workforce Health
Policy Recommendation 3:
States could utilize and encourage the federal government to assist in funding geospatial and other mapping technologies that can provide accurate information about broadband coverage and access.
The Economic and Workforce Health Subcommittee approved this recommendation affirming the importance of geospatial and other mapping technologies in providing accurate information about broadband coverage and access.
To ensure equitable broadband access and economic success for businesses and individuals, the federal government must invest in our nation’s infrastructure and broadband providers to guarantee reliable access and sufficient supply of technology. This means federal dollars must be allocated to states to assist in funding geospatial and other mapping technologies that provide accurate information about where broadband coverage and access need special attention while identifying economic development opportunities.”
The ability to readily identify areas where broadband deployment is needed, to the level of a city block, requires spatial data combined with internet use data. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software can be used to layer such data on a map that provides policymakers with an accurate picture of broadband equity, accessibility, infrastructure and more.1
The Federal Communications Commission Form 477 broadband mapping model lacks the detail states need to understand last-mile issues and other factors because the mapping model is census block resolution.2 This means that if broadband service is available to at least one location (residential or business) in a census block, the entire block will appear as served. Location-based models use GIS technology to identify broadband access at the individual resident or business level, more accurately showing the level of service within a census block.
State Examples
Georgia’s broadband project utilizes location-level methodology, which precisely maps broadband service availability in each of the state’s 159 counties. This provides more accurate information about broadband access because it requires at least 80% of the target area to be served for the area to be classified as served.3
Montana’s Legislature enacted Senate Bill 297 in 2021, creating the ConnectMT program, which produces detailed data broadband information, tracking population changes, detailed data tracking population chances, relocations, construction activity and more.4
Additional Resources
Another Step Toward Better Broadband Maps — https://www. fcc.gov/news-events/notes/2022/09/02/another-step-toward-better-broadband-maps
Making the Case for Broadband Funding Using GIS — https:// www.nlc.org/article/2022/01/27/making-the-case-for-broadbandfunding-using-gis/
The Council of State Governments State Leader Policy Brief: Broadband — https://web.csg.org/csghealthystates/wp-content/ uploads/sites/23/2022/05/Healthy-States-National-Task-Force-PolicyBrief-Broadband.pdf
Endnotes
1 Berry, L. (May 13, 2021). Tackling the Digital Divide with Ready-to-Use Content + Policy. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2022, from ArcGIS Blog: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/ arcgis-living-atlas/decision-support/tackling-the-digital-divide-with-ready-to-use-content-policy/.
2 Georgia Department of Community Affairs. (2020). FCC vs Georgia Broadband Program Comparison. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2022, from Georgia Broadband Program: https://broadband.georgia.gov/fcc-vs-georgia-broadband-program-comparison.
3 Ibid.
4 Government Technology. (July 21, 2022). Why Broadband Expansion Requires Better Location Data. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2022, from https://www.govtech.com/sponsored/ why-broadband-expansion-requires-better-location-data.
