Broadband mapping in the United States are efforts to describe geographically how Internet access service from telephone and cable TV companies (commonly called "broadband") is available in terms of available speed and price. Mapping has been done on the national as well as the state level. The efforts are seen as preliminary steps towards broadband universal service.
Internet access and bit rates (often called "speeds") vary considerably across the US. Generally, rural Internet users have fewer options and slower service. American consumers often spend more money for slower service than in other countries. [1]
Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and California Public Utilities Commission commissioner Rachelle Chong floated the idea of broadband mapping while working for the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Administration in California in 2006. The California Broadband Task Force had performed the first voluntary broadband mapping exercise in that state in 2006–2007, having learned about it when Commissioner Chong visited the ConnectKentucky broadband project in 2005. The broadband maps were then used by the CPUC to determine both "unserved areas" (defined as an area that is not served by any form of facilities-based broadband, or where Internet connectivity is available only through dial-up service or satellite) and "underserved" areas (defined as an area in which broadband is available but no facilities-based provider offers service at speeds of at least 3 megabytes per second (MB/s) download and 1 Mbit/s upload). A $100 million program called the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) was established on December 20, 2007, under the leadership of Assigned Commissioner Chong at the CPUC to bring an "onramp to the Internet" to unserved areas and underserved areas of the state, with unserved areas having first priority using filing windows. In 2008, State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) codified the CASF program with Senate Bill (SB) 1193, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 29, 2008, to ensure it had the legislative authority it needed to operate. On September 25, 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB1040 which added CASF funds of $125 million, of which $100 million went to broadband infrastructure funding, and $25 million to broadband adoption programs. [2]
In 2008, the FCC approved a broadband mapping plan which would examine availability by speed and "provide a more granular look at where broadband is available," according to a report in The Washington Post . [1] The Broadband Data Improvement Act was introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye in 2007 and became law on October 10, 2008. [3] The act's section 106 created a legal framework for the United States Department of Commerce's State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program, but did not fund it.[ citation needed ]
The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) was funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (known as the "stimulus package") under the Obama administration. Funds were allocated by the Commerce department and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in February 2009.[ citation needed ]
On April 2, 2009, California's Commissioner Chong testified before the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, about the California broadband program, and recommended that every state be required to perform broadband mapping in order to have an accurate understanding of its unserved and underserved areas, and not waste American Recovery and Reinvestment Act federal funding for broadband expansion. She further recommended that the broadband data be collected at the granular street address level annually in order to get the most accurate data. She testified that broadband mapping funds should be fairly allocated among the states, with an eye towards population, density, area, broadband penetration, and state's commitment to broadband. [4]
The NTIA was to create and release a National Broadband Inventory Map by February 17, 2011.[ needs update ]
In 2009, it was estimated that US$350 million would be expended to build the nationwide inventory of broadband services map. [5] The mapping project was part of a much larger project perhaps involving seven billion dollars [6] for a National Broadband Plan that had, among other goals, bringing high speed Internet service to rural areas. [5] [7] State governments such as New Hampshire, [8] North Carolina, and Minnesota attempted broadband maps, as did nations in Africa.[ citation needed ]
In Massachusetts, an ARRA grant was supplemented with state funds in 2010 [9] for the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. [10] In service of the MassBroadband 123 project to provide universal access statewide, the Institute created the Massachusetts Broadband Map, [11] as of 2011 updated every six months. [12]
As with other thematic maps, there is no standard for mapping information. [5] Rather, different studies have been done using different geographic and data rate parameters. [5] Geometric units such as census tracts as well as zip codes have been used. [1] Although the term broadband once had a technical meaning, it is used in marketing and policy to generally apply to relatively high data rate (and thus more expensive) Internet access, while technology changes over time. One 2007 estimate used five speed ranges, with the lowest being from 200 kbit/s to 768 kbit/s, and the highest was more than 6 Mbit/s. [1]
Politics influences the allocation of funds. [13] The National Telecommunications and Information Administration in 2009 said it would reassess the program to ensure the funds are used in a "fiscally prudent" manner, after private firms claimed they could make the map for much less. [14] In addition, there is an effort by the FCC to do a separate mapping effort unconnected to the congressional effort.[ citation needed ]
Internet providers, including telephone and cable firms, according to a report in The New York Times , are reluctant to disclose to government whether it offers service to some regions, how much it costs, and other parameters of availability. [5] Lobbying firms and nonprofits geared up to battle for funding since there could be lucrative government contracts in the future. [15]
Connected Nation is a non-profit group which was involved in an effort to get the state of Kentucky mapped regarding its available Internet service. [5] It is funded by AT&T, Verizon, and other telecom firms. Art Brodsky, Communications Director at Public Knowledge, a public interest organization which focuses on telecoms, wrote several articles in the Huffington Post criticizing the efforts of Connected Nation which, in his view, represented the interests of the telephone and cable industries and not the interests of consumers or other Internet-using publics. [15] According to Brodsky, the nonprofit has board members who work for leading telecom and cable firms, and the nonprofit is heading efforts to keep the broadband map information "confidential" by deeming it "proprietary". Brodsky used the term broadband bullies to describe telephone and cable efforts to impede the mapping project. [13]
Behavioral economics expert Sara Wedeman—who has studied broadband mapping methodologies—criticized the politics behind the mapping efforts and suggested that efforts by cable and telephone companies could undermine choices for consumers. [16] [17] [18] [19] Wedeman lauded the methodologies by states such as North Carolina and Massachusetts and noted that when studies were done properly, the reports found that broadband speed and availability were below those reported by similar efforts by affiliates of Connected Nations.
Communications in Hong Kong includes a wide-ranging and sophisticated network of radio, television, telephone, Internet, and related online services, reflecting Hong Kong's thriving commerce and international importance.
The services of communication in Jersey comprise Internet, telephone, broadcasting and postal services, which allow islanders to contact people and receive information.
The primary regulator of telecommunications in Malaysia is the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). It issues licenses under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the Postal Services Act 2012 and the Digital Signature Act 1997.
Telecommunications in Puerto Rico includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
Telecommunications in Albania include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the president's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' economic and technological advancement and to regulation of the telecommunications industry.
Internet access is a facility or service that provides connectivity for a computer, a computer network, or other network device to the Internet, and for individuals or organizations to access or use applications such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is offered for sale by an international hierarchy of Internet service providers (ISPs) using various networking technologies. At the retail level, many organizations, including municipal entities, also provide cost-free access to the general public.
Charter Communications, Inc., is an American telecommunications and mass media company with services branded as Spectrum. With over 32 million customers in 41 states, it is the largest cable operator in the United States by subscribers, just ahead of Comcast, and the largest pay TV operator ahead of Comcast and AT&T. Charter is the fifth-largest telephone provider based on number of residential lines.
Municipal broadband is broadband Internet access offered by public entities. Services are often provided either fully or partially by local governments to residents within certain areas or jurisdictions. Common connection technologies include unlicensed wireless, licensed wireless, and fiber-optic cable. Many cities that previously deployed Wi-Fi based solutions, like Comcast and Charter Spectrum, are switching to municipal broadband. Municipal fiber-to-the-home networks are becoming more prominent because of increased demand for modern audio and video applications, which are increasing bandwidth requirements by 40% per year. The purpose of municipal broadband is to provide internet access to those who cannot afford internet from internet service providers and local governments are increasingly investing in said services for their communities.
The California Public Utilities Commission is a regulatory agency that regulates privately owned public utilities in the state of California, including electric power, telecommunications, natural gas and water companies. In addition, the CPUC regulates common carriers, including household goods movers, limousines, rideshare services, self-driving cars, and rail crossing safety. The CPUC has headquarters in the Civic Center district of San Francisco, and field offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a system of telecommunications subsidies and fees managed by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intended to promote universal access to telecommunications services in the United States. The FCC established the fund in 1997 in compliance with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The FCC is a government agency that implements and enforces telecommunications regulations across the U.S. and its territories. The Universal Service Fund's budget ranges from $5–8 billion per year depending on the needs of the telecommunications providers. These needs include the cost to maintain the hardware needed for their services and the services themselves. The total 2019 proposed budget for the USF was $8.4 billion. The budget is revised quarterly allowing the service providers to accurately estimate their costs. As of 2019, roughly 60% of the USF budget was put towards “high-cost” areas, 19% went to libraries and schools, 13% was for low income areas, and 8% was for rural health care. In 2019 the rate for the USF budget was 24.4% of a telecom company's interstate and international end-user revenues.
Internet in Australia first became available on a permanent basis to universities in Australia in May 1989, via AARNet. Pegasus Networks was Australia's first public Internet provider in June 1989. The first commercial dial-up Internet Service Provider (ISP) appeared in capital cities soon after, and by the mid-1990s, almost the entire country had a range of choices of dial-up ISPs. Today, Internet access is available through a range of technologies, i.e. hybrid fibre coaxial cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and satellite Internet. In July 2009, the federal government, in partnership with the industrial sector, began rolling out a nationwide fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) and improved fixed wireless and satellite access through the National Broadband Network. Subsequently, the roll out was downgraded to a Multi-Technology Mix on the promise of it being less expensive and with earlier completion. In October 2020, the federal government announced an upgrade by 2023 of NBN fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services to FTTP for 2 million households, at a cost of A$3.5 billion.
Internet access is widely available in New Zealand, with 94% of New Zealanders having access to the internet as of January 2021. It first became accessible to university students in the country in 1989. As of June 2018, there are 1,867,000 broadband connections, of which 1,524,000 are residential and 361,000 are business or government.
The Internet in the United States grew out of the ARPANET, a network sponsored by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense during the 1960s. The Internet in the United States in turn provided the foundation for the worldwide Internet of today.
Internet usage in Ireland was reported at a 95% rate among individuals by 2022, higher than the European Union (EU) average of 89%. According to the European Commission's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2023 report, 70% of Irish adults had at least basic digital skills in 2021, above the EU average of 54%. Additionally, 77% demonstrated basic digital content creation skills, exceeding the EU average of 66%. Ireland's National Digital Strategy, along with the 10-year Adult Literacy for Life strategy, aims to enhance digital competencies across the workforce and society.
Telecommunications in Hungary include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
Big River Telephone Company, LLC is a telecommunications company located in the Midwestern United States. Big River Telephone is classified as a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) and is a wholesale digital provider of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to the cable industry.
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Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plan to improve Internet access in the United States. The FCC was directed to create the plan by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and unveiled its plan on March 16, 2010.
Broadband universal service, also known as "universal service obligation" (USO) or "universal broadband service", refers to government efforts to ensure all citizens have access to the internet. Universal voice service obligations have been expanded to include broadband service obligations in Switzerland, Finland, Spain and the UK.
the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday voted to approve a broadband mapping plan that would break down broadband availability by speed across the country and provide a more granular look at where broadband is available. ...customers in many other nations have speeds of 25M bps to 100M bps for less money per month than U.S. customers pay for less than 10M bps. ...
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)$350 million for making a "nationwide inventory map of existing broadband service capability and availability in the United States."...
...companies and communities hoping to win some of the $7.2 billion set aside for broadband-stimulus funding...
The New Hampshire Broadband Mapping Project (NHBMP), managed by the University of New Hampshire's Geographically Referenced Analysis and Information Transfer (NH GRANIT) project...
It's all well and good that President-Elect Obama wants high-speed Internet connectivity to be part of the economic stimulus package. The goal, he said in a speech today (Jan. 8), is, "expanding broadband lines across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world."...
To ensure the mapping money is used "in a fiscally prudent manner," the National Telecommunications and Information Administration signaled Wednesday it would initially spend more than $100 million, and then reassess the program.
With up to $350 million in federal stimulus funds allocated for broadband mapping, an organization called Connected Nation is racking up the frequent flying miles in an effort to capture the lion's share of the money. ...Connected Nation, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit organization that represents the interests of the telephone and cable industries...
This is a bitter political issue in many places - for example, Verizon committed to provide 45 Mbit/s service to the bulk of New Jersey in exchange for generous tax breaks and regulatory reliefs, which didn't happen. Sara Wedeman's awful experience with this is instructive....
In this report, Gordon Cook interviews Sara Wedeman, a mapping expert who also works in behavioral economics
Broadband mapping is a term in high currency right now, and could become an important part of the Broadband stimulus initiative. While it is likely to have many benefits, these benefits will be achieved only if the process is conducted with careful attention to quality. As someone who has spent 28+ years doing social research, I am concerned to observe that much of the recent broadband mapping is not of high quality, to the extent that to make decisions based on it "results" would be irresponsible and ill advised.
Sara Wedeman, Expert Opinion, BroadbandBreakfast.com. Editor's Note: The following guest commentary appears by special invitation of Broadband Census News.