The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), Office of Broadband Coordinator, more commonly referred to as the South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO), is recognized as the central coordinating body for the development of the State’s broadband initiatives. They are responsible for the administration and management of over $1 billion in grant funds targeting the deployment of Broadband infrastructure throughout South Carolina and rely heavily on GIS technology as the backbone of their system architecture. The SCBBO has developed an extensive spatial data warehouse to identify and prioritize where broadband availability does not exist throughout the State, which is a vital data input necessary in determining eligibility of areas for future funding. The SCBBO has also utilized GIS to track and manage projects they award, from initiation, to compliance, to closeout, leveraging geospatial data in virtually every aspect of the grant programs they administer. This ensures investments are made in areas that minimize potential for overbuilds to existing providers while maximizing the expansion of broadband facilities in remaining unserved and underserved areas throughout the State. The SCBBO will provide an overview of their utilization of GIS, along with sharing tips and tricks State’s may want to consider as they administer their own Broadband grant programs. With an eye toward closing the digital divide, please join NSGIC GIS 101 and the State of South Carolina on their road to successful implementation of Broadband infrastructure.
Presenters: Michael Herzberger and James Tanis (South Carolina Broadband Office)
Date: February 8, 2024
Links: