LightBox announced that the State of Montana has awarded the company a contract for its SmartFabric product and GIS technology to create broadband serviceable location analytics and mapping capabilities for Montana.
Montana joins a growing list of states that have selected LightBox to ensure they have the most accurate location fabric, analysis, and broadband maps. In addition to providing the location fabric, LightBox will coordinate the collection, cleansing and geospatial mapping of all the ISP contributed data to create and maintain the broadband serviceability map for the State of Montana.
“LightBox offered Montana an opportunity to get a precise accounting and assessment of the current landscape when it comes to broadband,” said Chad Rupe, Broadband Manager for the State of Montana. “This is an extremely valuable tool because we won’t need to rely on a national one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to our broadband infrastructure. LightBox is the absolute right partner for this project due to their proven experience in providing highly precise datasets and the GIS expertise to create end-to-end solutions.”
The company notes that, with the passing of President Biden’s infrastructure bill this past November, billions of dollars are now available for states to get broadband access to underserved communities. However, for states to accurately address the digital divide and have clear visibility to where broadband inequities exist, the company points out that accurate, precise and updated broadband maps are needed.
By leveraging LightBox’s SmartFabric product and GIS technology, the company says the State of Montana will now have the most accurate location fabric, analysis and broadband map information to build and deploy its broadband infrastructure plan.
“SmartFabric is a commercial off-the-shelf solution that states can license to meet their serviceable location mapping goals in a timely manner,” said LightBox CEO Eric Frank. “Our data is first-in-class in the marketplace in terms of accuracy and comprehensive location coverage. It is no surprise that in addition to the broadband use case, Montana plans to leverage the SmartFabric data to manage assets and policymaking across a range of state agencies and departments.”
Montana is the third state, along with Georgia and Alabama, to leverage LightBox data to create highly accurate broadband serviceable location mapping.
“Georgia and Alabama have already leveraged LightBox data to create highly accurate broadband serviceable location mapping, amid the Federal Government’s push for greater digital equality,” concluded Bill Price, Vice President of Government Solutions at LightBox. “States are wisely taking control in their own hands to collaborate with the best data provider and GIS technology available to create their own state maps. Without LightBox, states are reliant on a national mapping effort that is unlikely to be as timely and precise as what the state can produce in partnership with LightBox. There are potential funding shortfalls which present serious consequences for the inhabitants of states who have not yet invested in their own maps.”
