Executive Summary
Access to advanced information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, such as broadband internet and wireless networks, is vital to the socio-economic well-being of cities, regions and nations in the global knowledgebased economy/society. Access to this infrastructure is as important in the new economy as is access to other public infrastructures and utilities such as highways, power grids, water and sewage facilities. Understanding broadband infrastructure - including what infrastructure exists, its capacities, where there are gaps, and who is involved in providing it - is essential for effective socioeconomic and infrastructural planning in the Province.
Provincial governments, as providers, partners, and regulators of public infrastructure can help ensure that Canadians have access to affordable, high quality broadband infrastructure. Local, regional, and national governments have played a variety of active roles in the development of broadband, ranging from coordinating infrastructure build-outs, to assessing user needs, and negotiating rights of way (Ethos 2007). To assist in evidence-based broadband policy decisions such as where to deploy new infrastructure in underserved areas, to assess spatial clustering of heavy broadband usage, to analyze the market, or simply for public education purposes, policy makers and developers integrate, visualize, analyze and disseminate broadband data through the creation of broadband atlases, maps and finder/locator services.
Communications infrastructure, like all other infrastructures, is inherently spatial. Where elements of the infrastructure are located is related to factors such as population density, urbanization, business districts, educational institutions, physical topography and pre-existing infrastructures such as rail lines, electrical wires, or telephone lines. The infrastructure is often absent where incomes arelow, in remote areas, where the terrain is difficult, and where the private sector deems it is not profitable for them to deliver such a service. The presence or absence of communications infrastructure and the quality of communications services influences, to some extent, the social and economic viability and livability of a community, its integration with the rest of the nation, and access to potential global markets. Cartographically represented broadband data can help governments, the private sector, NGOs and the public see the distribution of this infrastructure by providing access to a wide range of information relevant to broadband development – rendering it more tangible via maps, graphics and accompanying text. These include: the location of already existing infrastructure; the types and locations of various local broadband providers; the availability, quality and capacity of broadband service by region; and the types of technology used. In addition, integrating these data into themes such as ‘digital inclusion’ or ‘economic development’ can help users to think through larger broadband policy questions and economic issues in a way that leads to concrete decisions on, for example, where to build fibre infrastructure, or where to locate a business. On a larger level, by showing spatial data about broadband facilities and services, a broadband atlas can help governments better understand the status of broadband infrastructure, and to determine how best to facilitate further development within their jurisdictions. A comprehensive online Broadband Atlas in Ontario – a first in Canada - could inspire other provinces and territories toward creating regionally managed, but nationally integrated, broadband atlas initiatives.
This paper reviews existing paper-based and online broadband atlases, maps, indicators, data visualization projects and finder/locator services in Canada and internationally. Of the dozens of broadband mapping initiatives we found, we provide an in-depth analysis of 11 that exemplify the wide range of possible approaches. These include highly systematic international mapping efforts, local user-generated Google mashups, and academic analyses. We identify the types of data represented in these broadband maps, and ways of visualizing them. We do not provide a design for a Broadband Atlas itself, but rather a framework for understanding what a Broadband Atlas can be useful for and what it might include. To inform the development of a Broadband Atlas we offer such guiding principles as usability, usefulness, authority, aesthetics, engagement and preservation. We also highlight nine prospective themes or topic areas for an atlas relevant for developing a broadband strategy in Ontario. These include:
Technical Infrastructure
Service Availability, Quality & Affordability
Digital Inclusion
Economic Development
Ownership
Competition
Traffic Inspection & Management Practices
Public Sector Involvement
Decision-making by sector
We further provide over a hundred indicators, drawn from the policy and mapping initiatives analyzed earlier. These indicators can be used, in various combinations, to support and develop the themes described in the paper, or other relevant themes. Finally, we review selected atlas framework technologies that provide promising ways to implement an Ontario-led online broadband atlas. Together, these findings may inform the Ontario government on key ingredients for the creation of its own online interactive Broadband Atlas.
