The US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has released “Indicators of Broadband Need”, an interactive mapping tool that illustrates the digital divide to the public.
The new digital map displays key indicators of broadband needs across the US. This is the first interactive public map that puts data from both public and private sources and allows users to explore different datasets about where people do not have quality Internet access.
As per the press release by US DOC, the map contains data aggregated at the county, census tract, and census block level from the US Census Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), M-Lab, Ookla and Microsoft. Speed-test data provided by M-Lab and Ookla help to illustrate the reality that communities experience when going online, with many parts of the country reporting speeds that fall below the FCC’s current benchmark for fixed broadband service of 25 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload. This is the first map that allows users to graphically compare and contrast these different data sources.
“As we release this important data to the public, it paints a sobering view of the challenges facing far too many Americans as they try to connect to high-speed broadband and participate in our modern economy,” said US Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
The dataset allows user to see where high-poverty communities are located and how that relates to Internet usage patterns, as well as to a lack of computers and related equipment. The map also shows usage patterns in tribal communities, which have historically suffered from lack of Internet access. Users can toggle the separate data sets on and off to compare information, and search for specific locations, including tribal lands and minority-serving institutions, to gain a better understanding of where broadband needs are greatest.
“Any effort to close the digital divide starts with solid data, and NTIA continues to help policymakers make more informed decisions on expanding broadband access,” said Acting NTIA Administrator Evelyn Remaley.
“Broadband is no longer nice to have. It’s need to have. To ensure that every household has the Internet access necessary for success in the digital age, we need better ways to accurately measure where high-speed service has reached Americans and where it has not,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
Earlier this year in March, President Biden in his American Jobs Plan has proposed $100 billion to America’s digital infrastructure, with a goal of giving all Americans access to the affordable, reliable high-speed Internet. In May, the FCC launched the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, which will have Internet service providers give low-income Americans who qualify up to $50 off per month for broadband service, plus a one-time $100 discount for a new computer or tablet. As per the White House tweet nearly 30 million Americans lack access to high-speed Internet.
NTIA also offers to state governments and federal partners a geographic information system (GIS) platform called the National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM) that provides more complex tools for analyzing broadband access, such as the ability to upload GIS files to compare proposed projects.
