In a move to keep the public informed about its progress in expanding broadband service in Oklahoma’s rural areas, the state Broadband Office launched an interactige online map detailing the availability of high-speed internet service in the state.
Executive Director Mike Sanders announced the Oklahoma Broadband Map is available at map.broadband.ok.gov, and offers Oklahomans a way to track improvements in broadband infrastructure as federal grant funds are deployed statewide over the coming years.
“The Oklahoma-specific map will serve as a guide to the success of our mission to ensure high-speed internet service is available to everyone – including the nearly 750,000 Oklahomans who lack such service today,” Director Sanders said.
Developed using federal grant funds appropriated by the Legislature, the state map offers information and functions not available in either of two maps maintained by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – one showing service availability and the other outlining areas receiving enhancements through federal grants.
Among the unique features of the Oklahoma map is the ability to view service availability within congressional districts and state legislative districts. Updated features will be added in a Version 2 to be released early next year.
The state map empowers users to:
- Search addresses
- View unserved/underserved/served locations
- Distinguish between different technologies in use
- See reported internet speeds by location
- View areas receiving upgrades through federal grant funds
A brief tutorial video is also available on the Oklahoma Map web page.
Links are also provided on the OBO website to the FCC’s National Broadband and Broadband Funding maps. All three maps are included to provide as much information as possible to the public. State law and federal regulations require all grant funding decisions be based on the FCC National Broadband Map.