Mappin broadband coverage with GIS in State of Nevada

The State of Nevada is taking proactive steps to maximize broadband availability to Nevadans in its decision to use GIS technology to create detailed maps of state broadband coverage. The maps will be created by Connected Nation, a nonprofit organization, using ESRI GIS software, and will provide a platform for prioritising new broadband projects in the state.

Connected Nation has worked with Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and—most recently—Texas to promote access to and use of high-speed Internet connections. The first step in its approach is to create a complete picture of a state's gaps in broadband coverage by way of intelligent map products that combine broadband service provider data with detailed, street-level maps and local demographics. Analysis using ESRI ArcGIS technology identifies optimum areas for development potential at the street, household, and census block levels.

ESRI's Web-enabled ArcGIS Server makes it possible to share these maps on the Internet with interactive capabilities, which gives service providers, businesses, and consumers a way to access the information and verify or challenge the reported coverage areas. Connected Nation also offers a toll-free telephone hotline for consumers without Internet access.