Background
Much like transportation roadways and telephone line build-outs before it, broadband has the potential to drive significant economic growth. Beyond its economic benefits, broadband has a cascading effect on many facets of society.
- Improves the quality and lower the cost of health care through health IT and improved data capture and use
- Enables improvements in public education through e-learning and online content
- Plays a major role in the transition to a clean energy economy
- Expands access to jobs and training, support entrepreneurship and small business growth
- Bolsters efforts to improve public safety and homeland security, ensuring all Americans can access emergency services
In January 2009, President Obama set forth an agenda for universal broadband — a plan to make high-speed internet service available to all Americans. As a first step, Congress directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop (1) a national broadband plan that outlined the steps necessary to realize this goal and (2) a national map to inform consumers and help policy analysts make informed, data-driven broadband funding decisions.
Result
Working with Computech, Inc., Emprata engaged in a variety of broadband asset management initiatives at the FCC. The projects were of national significance and scope, involved the process of analyzing large volumes of data, and the used of various Operations Research tools and techniques.
- National Broadband Map – Process and analyze hundreds of millions of records containing very granular, geospatial data collected semi-annually from more than 2,000 broadband providers in all 50 states and US territories.
