The recent experience of Montana suggests broadband mapping doesn’t have to be as complicated. In less than two months, Montana was able to receive a completed initial coverage map from LightBox — the same company that sold Georgia a master address file for its groundbreaking work.
According to LightBox CEO Eric Frank, his company wasn’t “super aware” of the opportunity to close the digital divide until Georgia opened its eyes to how a map can be constructed. After this realization, the company developed a turnkey solution where it provides both data and mapping to a state.
So while Georgia produced its own broadband map while utilizing a data set from LightBox, Montana paid LightBox to do all the heavy technical lifting — from collecting Internet service provider data to providing a user interface for the map — and thus saved time and resources.
“We were able to deliver to Montana in 45 days,” Frank said.
Chad Rupe, broadband program manager for Montana, suggested that regardless of whether a state creates its own map or employs the services of a company like LightBox, it should take a long look at what other states have done with broadband mapping.
“There’s a lot of good lessons learned from people who have been doing this for years,” Rupe said.
Rupe also advised broadband stakeholders to have good communication with legislators and the governor so that any mapping initiative can align with a state’s vision. To this point, LightBox offers “hundreds of different data layers,” according to Frank, that can be overlayed on a map. Anything from physical structures to school boundaries to demographics can be mapped statewide.
Rupe said the extra data layers will help Montana address other concerns, such as the “cellphone divide” in the state. The state can now observe the current and potential locations of cellphone towers within its borders.
“Those types of flexible options are very important for us as we move forward,” Rupe said.
One challenge that states and local areas face relates to the task of forming solid relationships with providers, who can be gun-shy about sharing data for the purpose of broadband mapping. Rupe said Montana has a statute that protects any non-public information of providers from being revealed. This legislative effort had a positive effect on the state’s relationship with providers.
“That brings a level of trust that was important [to convincing providers to share data],” Rupe said.
Frank said LightBox has had conversations with about 30 states at this point. He recommends that states get out in front of the federal government when it comes to mapping, as he believes that approach will lead to a better understanding of what needs to be done locally as well as more funding.
A state can also wait on the Federal Communications Commission’s guidance on mapping, but Frank said to count him “among those skeptics” who don’t believe the FCC will finish its updated coverage map anytime soon.
“If you’re looking out for your constituency, you should build a map,” Frank said.
