Broadband Providers Information

The Utah Broadband Center (UBC) in partnership with the state’s Utah Geospatial Resource Center (UGRC), works with broadband providers to keep current mapping data on broadband availability in Utah. The broadband mapping data is used to inform stakeholders on the broadband landscape in Utah and other special mapping projects or requests. 

To submit broadband coverage data for inclusion on our maps, contact Rebecca Dilg below. 

The UBC collects mapping data on fixed and mobile broadband service marketed primarily towards the residential market. Fixed services include service directly to an end-user over a fixed connection via fixed wireless, cable, DSL, fiber to the home, or another copper wireline.

How to Submit Residential Broadband Data

1. Mapping data representing actual coverage service areas may be submitted in the following formats:
   1. Google Earth KMZ files or ESRI GIS files.
   2. Hardcopy or digital service coverage map.
   3. Infrastructure information to derive service coverage. All infrastructure data is kept proprietary
   4. Fixed wireless providers are requested to submit tower locations and related information. The Center will derive a line-of-sight coverage footprint for provider review.
2. Basic information is needed to finalize your submission:
   1. Provider DBA Name
   2. Technology of transmission (mobile, fixed wireless, DSL, fiber to the home, or other copper wireline)
   3. Actual maximum advertised download and upload speeds marketed to a residential market. Advertised speeds must be able to be confirmed by the Center.

How to Submit Commercial Broadband Data

Commercial Broadband Mapping Data

Locate.utah.gov maps commercial fiber availability. It also utilizes the residential broadband mapping data to communicate what providers are in a given area. There are two categories of commercial fiber service, short-term (service can be provided within an average time frame of 1-3 months) and custom (service can be provided within an average time frame of 3-9 months). Fiber availability is aggregated to a statewide grid.

Broadband providers that provide fiber to commercial end users can submit mapping data with Google Earth KMZ files or ESRI files.

Data Submission Deadlines

For Broadband Providers

Residential broadband data is collected every six months generally in March and September.

Commercial fiber broadband providers will be reminded to update their data during the two data update rounds. 

Data Quality

Validation

An important part of data validation is the UBC’s data intake and processing flow. In summary, our data flow consists of:

• Initial evaluation of data submission and initial documentation.
  • Recording what was submitted by the provider.
  • Verification that the data update is usable.
• Data Processing.
  • Update provider data in the UGRC-defined standard data format.
• Detailed evaluation and documentation.
  • Document details of the data and the data processing steps.
  • Review the provider’s changes from previous submissions for consistency between what is in the data and what discussions have been made with providers.
• Create data feedback for the provider to review.

Aerial photography, address location services, census block geometry, and road segment geometry used for broadband service mapping and for quality control of the broadband data are from public domain resources in the SGID.

Verification

All Broadband data received by the UBS/UGRC is reviewed for overall verification. Besides our initial verification, other sample verification methods are listed below.

• The UGRC maintains archives and documentation of a given provider’s data over time, and changes are noted and verified as to their plausibility. All data related interaction with a provider since the mapping database was created in June 2010 is also documented. This provider submission history is periodically referred to in order to guide correspondence needs and special handling of the submission data.
• For each provider’s geographical extent, examination of areas that are not served or are underserved is completed and discussed with the provider for accuracy.
• Every time the project receives updates from a broadband provider, data feedback is sent to the provider for them to verify that the data or updates have been prepared accurately. The biggest source of feedback for providers is being able to interact one on one with their specific data on the Utah Broadband Interactive Map. Providers can do this on their own or with the Center’s mapping team during a scheduled conference.
• Local telecom territories are used to verify reported DSL coverage areas.