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Interactive Map Visualises to Aid with Digital Divide in U.S.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a new publicly available digital map that displays key indicators of broadband needs across the country. This is the first interactive, public map that allows users to explore different datasets about where people do not have quality Internet access.

The public “Indicators of Broadband Need,” comes from both public and private sources. The interactive digital map helps illustrate which parts of the U.S. report internet speeds that fall below the Federal Communications Commission’s current benchmark for fixed broadband service: 25 Mbps downstream, 3 Mbps upstream.

The map contains data aggregated at the county, census tract and census block level from the Census Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission FCC’s Form 477, on which internet service providers report fixed broadband speeds that meet the FCC’s benchmark, and speed test data. This is the first map that allows users to graphically compare and contrast these different data sources.

Using the Census’ American Community Survey from 2015-2019, the map also puts poverty and lack of broadband access on the same page. The dataset allows users 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 a 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.

Users can see internet usage patterns in high-poverty areas and tribal communities, as well as their lack of computers and related equipment.  Toggling the layers on and off allows users to compare information for specific locations so they can gain a better understanding of where broadband needs are greatest.

The NTIA map is the latest effort to better identify gaps in high-speed internet services. The FCC tasked its Broadband Data Task Force to develop the necessary tools to gather more accurate and granular broadband access data from ISPs, the public, state, local and tribal governments, other federal agencies as well as third parties, such as companies specialising in broadband mapping and data collection. The agency also said it planned to refine the data over time through crowdsourcing, audits and verification and enforcement actions.

To ensure that every household has the internet access necessary for success in the digital age, NTIA needs better ways to accurately measure where high-speed service has reached Americans and where it has not. The latest mapping effort by NTIA is a welcome new tool that provides valuable insight into the state of broadband across the country.

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. Now, the public can benefit from their platform to see which areas of the country still do not have broadband at the speeds needed to participate in the modern economy.

NTIA also offers to state governments and federal partners a geographic information system (GIS) platform called the National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM). The platform provides more complex tools for analysing broadband access, such as the ability to upload GIS files to compare proposed projects. The mapping platform allows the majority of states in the U.S. to better inform broadband projects and funding decisions.

As reported by OpenGov Asia, high-speed internet access has become a necessity for working and learning from home especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many American households lack a decent broadband connection. To tackle this problem, U.S. researchers have developed a new tool to smooth the collection of federal broadband access data that helps pinpoint coverage gaps across the U.S. The research reveals that nearly 21% of students in urban areas are without at-home broadband, while 25% and 37% lack at-home broadband in suburban and rural areas.

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Qlik’s vision is a data-literate world, where everyone can use data and analytics to improve decision-making and solve their most challenging problems. A private company, Qlik offers real-time data integration and analytics solutions, powered by Qlik Cloud, to close the gaps between data, insights and action. By transforming data into Active Intelligence, businesses can drive better decisions, improve revenue and profitability, and optimize customer relationships. Qlik serves more than 38,000 active customers in over 100 countries.

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CTC Global Singapore, a premier end-to-end IT solutions provider, is a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and ITOCHU Corporation.

Since 1972, CTC has established itself as one of the country’s top IT solutions providers. With 50 years of experience, headed by an experienced management team and staffed by over 200 qualified IT professionals, we support organizations with integrated IT solutions expertise in Autonomous IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Workplace Modernization and Professional Services.

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Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planview’s full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions creates an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empowers teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,300 employees supporting 4,500 customers and 2.6 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

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SIRIM is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Minister​ of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality. SIRIM has always played a major role in the development of the country’s private sector. By tapping into our expertise and knowledge base, we focus on developing new technologies and improvements in the manufacturing, technology and services sectors. We nurture Small Medium Enterprises (SME) growth with solutions for technology penetration and upgrading, making it an ideal technology partner for SMEs.

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HashiCorp provides infrastructure automation software for multi-cloud environments, enabling enterprises to unlock a common cloud operating model to provision, secure, connect, and run any application on any infrastructure. HashiCorp tools allow organizations to deliver applications faster by helping enterprises transition from manual processes and ITIL practices to self-service automation and DevOps practices. 

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IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

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