ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Broadband mapping in the United States

Okay kiddo, imagine all the roads and highways that we use to travel around our city. Now, think of the internet as a big highway too. Just like how we need maps to know where the roads go and what the traffic is like, we also need maps for the internet! That's where broadband mapping comes in.

Broadband mapping is like creating a map of all the places in the United States where people can access high-speed internet, also known as broadband. This helps everyone understand which areas have good internet connections and which ones don't.

The government wants to make sure that everyone in the United States has access to good broadband internet, so they use broadband maps to figure out where internet service is provided and where it is needed. This helps them make decisions about how to spend money on improving internet coverage in areas that need it the most.

Sometimes, the maps aren't completely correct because the companies that provide internet services might not report all the places they provide service. That's why people are working on making the maps better so that we can have a clearer picture of where everyone can get good internet.

So, in short, broadband mapping is like making a map of the internet highways in the United States, so we know where people have good internet and where they need it.