Earlier this week, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) unveiled a map of high-speed Internet coverage in the state for public comment. Stakeholders have until May 30 to comment.
The map was produced by Connected Nation, which requested broadband coverage data from broadband providers throughout Tennessee.
After the public comment period ends, TNECD and Connected Nation will incorporate any changes the map might need. By late summer, TNECD expects to have all updates to the map completed.
“Our state map will play an important role in helping our team make informed decisions about where to invest broadband funding, both for infrastructure and adoption programs,” TNECD Broadband Director Taylre Beaty said.
Tennessee joins states like Georgia and Montana that can boast having access to a statewide broadband map. These maps can be produced in a number of ways. Georgia utilized its own technical expertise from a state university to gather data from providers and create a map. Montana, similar to Tennessee, employed the help of an external organization to handle all the technical legwork for its map.
These maps are essential for not only state broadband grant programs but also federal funding opportunities, particularly the upcoming Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, which was put in place by the bipartisan infrastructure law.
