Quality broadband access today is a vital resource for everything including education, health care, public safety, economic activities, and government services. However, a significant number of people in North Carolina still do not have access to adequate broadband service and the benefits it brings. The NC Broadband Infrastructure Office, in collaboration with the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, is attempting to map broadband availability at a larger scale than previous efforts by leveraging statewide GIS datasets and community surveys.

This presentation will outline how these statewide GIS datasets are critical in understanding the state of broadband and in directing grant funding to the specific locations that need it most.