Connected Nation: Broadband Mapping in Illinois
Tuesday, September 27 at 11 AM CT
Presented by: Matt Schmit, Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband (IL Dept of Commerce and Economic Opportunity); Ashley Hitt, Vice President of GeoAnalytic (Connected Nation); Tanisha Osborne, Project Manager (Connected Nation)
Historic federal and state funding for broadband expansion – and the requisite plan for statewide universal broadband access – creates the need for better broadband access mapping. The Federal Communications Commission and Illinois Office of Broadband each solicit mapping data from Illinois broadband providers. This webinar discussion with the Illinois Office of Broadband and its mapping vendor, Connected Nation, will try to make sense of the mapping efforts – and how Illinois and its broadband provider community can position the state to leverage and make best use of all available federal broadband funds. Connected Nation is working with the State of Illinois on updating the state broadband maps with the most accurate, detailed data possible. While we have been requesting your FCC BDC filings for this map update, we understand providers have concerns about the BDC filings for multiple reasons. We would like to work with you on the data/information you do have on your broadband service areas and work with you on the data processing needs to represent your service areas and speeds in the most accurate way.
About the speakers:
Matt Schmit, Deputy Director for Broadband within the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, administers the state’s Office of Broadband and its various grant programs. Matt leads the push for Illinois' ubiquitous broadband access, engaging in outreach and collaboration across Illinois, and using his past expertise from consulting, collaboration, and research primarily in the areas of technology deployment, infrastructure investment, and economic development.
Mark Messer is Broadband Data Manager at Connected Nation, whose mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies for all people. Mark provides consultation with broadband service providers to better understand their telecom networks and collect data relevant to service areas and available speeds.
Ashley Hitt, Vice President of GeoAnalytics at Connected Nation, whose mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies for all people. Ashley’s work is known to have shone a light on the digital divide with her skills and leadership with GIS broadband data and establish industry standards for geospatial analysis of the telecommunications sector. She is also currently President of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA).
