The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is one of America's largest federally funded investments in the expansion of the nation's broadband infrastructure. Thanks to BTOP projects, higher speed Internet service will benefit thousands of communities across the country. Tens of thousands of institutions will connect to a world of new opportunity. And hundreds of thousands of people will adopt broadband to enhance their economic and educational prospects. BTOP projects are underway in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories, building broadband infrastructure, expanding public computer centers, and increasing adoption of broadband services in order to put people to work, spur private investment, and advance the U.S. digital economy.
Find out what is happening in your community. Use BTOP's Connecting America's Communities Map to discover how and where BTOP investments are making a difference. Behind every dot on the BTOP Map is a story of community transformation. Get started right away by specifying your search interests using the filters provided under each tab. More information on the program and the BTOP Map also can be found in the Fact Sheet.

Using the BTOP Map
1. What is the purpose of the BTOP Map?
The BTOP Map allows the public to visualize the impact of more than $4 billion in broadband investments being made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). Organizations awarded grants through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) submit performance reports that summarize their project's progress in advancing broadband access and adoption across the country. These reports can be found on the BTOP website. Drawing on these reports, the BTOP Map allows users to find new infrastructure investments and community institutions connected in their region, locate new and improved public computer centers, and see where efforts to stimulate demand and usage of broadband services (e.g., digital literacy training or free laptop programs) are taking place. Filters enable users to view data by project type, and zooming features help users obtain details on projects in their communities.

2. How do I use the Map?
New users are encouraged to select the "Get Started" tab, which provides an overview of the Map and instructions on how to use it. Users who choose to forego the "Get Started" tab can begin searching by selecting a state in the drop-down menu on the top left of the Map or by entering a ZIP code. Users can also select a filter to plot data pertaining to broadband infrastructure, connected institutions, and public computer centers and training programs under each of the main tabs (i.e., Communities, Institutions, or People). To learn more about each investment type, users can select the boxes along the top of the Map to read a brief description of the type of BTOP investment and related filters. To learn more about a particular project, roll over any icon on the Map for links to additional information. Zoom in (or out) to view the data results at the state or community level. To view state-by-state summaries of BTOP-funded projects, select the "State Dashboard" button at the top left corner of the map window.

3. What is the difference between the various filters that can be selected?
While choosing "Select All" will display the available data, users can select individual filters to visualize data pertaining to specific types of BTOP awards and their impact. For example, selecting "Education" under the "Institutions" column will display data associated with high schools, community colleges, and other higher education institutions that are being connected to broadband. Each search tab (i.e., Communities, Institutions, and People) has descriptions of what data can be visualized.

4. How far down can I zoom on the Map?
Users are able to zoom to view areas the size of Congressional districts within the Map. The search function also allows users to specify a ZIP code to refine their searches and automatically zoom to the corresponding area on the Map.

5. What is the State Dashboard and what data does it contain?
The State Dashboard summarizes data pertaining to BTOP-funded projects in a particular state, providing a graphical display of aggregate data according to the three key areas of BTOP's impact (i.e., Communities, Institutions, and People). It also provides more general demographic information, such as the state's broadband adoption percentage compared with the national average. The State Dashboard can be shared, downloaded, or printed.

6. Can I download the data?
Yes. Under the "Get Started" tab of the Map, users can go to the "Download the Data Set" section to access the Excel files containing the data that were used to populate the BTOP Map. The Map also provides the option to download, print, or share the data produced by the user's search through buttons on the right side of the map window.

7. How often will the data in the Map be updated?
The icons and dots plotted on the Map are based on data in the progress reports submitted by BTOP-funded projects. The data reflect project progress as of the end of the 2011 calendar year. The data are updated annually and may not reflect mid-year modifications or most recent recipient progress. Our quarterly reports to Congress make available aggregate data and quarterly Program progress which are located in the Briefing Room section of the BTOP website. Please note that the BTOP Map does not include data related to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP), although we offer a link to those investments under the State Dashboard feature.

8. How do I find out the exact location or address of a dot on the Map?
Most of the dots and network routes noted in the Map are representational and provide an approximation of the connection or area in which a network connection point, institution, computer center, or subscriber program may be located. Some dots will provide the address in a content box when users move their cursor over the point on the Map. Please roll over the dots for specific location information.

Additional Information
9. What do the lines between two dots on the Map represent?
The lines on the Map reflect a new or upgraded network connection between two broadband network access points (i.e., Points of Presence or "POPs") in different communities. Each of the communities with these new or upgraded connections will benefit from increased network capacity, allowing for faster transmission of data. The lines on the Map do not represent the actual path of the network or proposed routes for laying new or upgraded connections.

10. How is the information the BTOP Map provides different from that of the National Broadband Map?
The National Broadband Map provides information about the current consumer availability of broadband in the United States and is updated twice each year. The BTOP Map provides data on current and planned BTOP investments.

11. When will the planned connections displayed in the Map be connected to the network?
While the completion time will vary depending on the project, BTOP grant projects must be fully completed no later than three years following the date of the issuance of the grant award. All BTOP projects are scheduled to be complete by fall 2013.

12. Why are there some states without data, or data missing for specific recipients?
NTIA developed the Map to highlight BTOP's impact through a visual depiction of grant recipients' activities in each state. NTIA validated the data for the Map in March 2012. The data are available in BTOP recipients' 2011 progress reports, which are posted on the BTOP website. Please note that some BTOP recipients requested that certain information be excluded from the Map. Where allowable by law, NTIA excluded this data from the Map. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) also funded broadband projects in many states. This Map only includes information related to BTOP recipients, although a list of BIP projects is available on State Dashboards.

13. Is there a text version of the information in the Map?
Data provided in the Map may be downloaded under the "Get Started" tab or by clicking the download icon on the right in the map window. Relevant information available in the BTOP Map also is available in text form by visiting the BTOP website and viewing each recipient's project page for additional information.

14. Can I use the Map to find local broadband service providers and/or public facilities with broadband access?
Users can see the name of the organization responsible for each dot or icon plotted on the Map by rolling their mouse over the dots to display a box with additional information. Each rollover box will contain a link to the BTOP project page that a user can follow to find additional information.

15. How can I get more information about the Map?
For more information, please contact the BTOP office by emailing btop@ntia.doc.gov.

NTIA built the BTOP Map using the Excel data files available below. NTIA's data files are free for use by any interested party. Use of these data sets should indicate "NTIA's BTOP Map" as the source of the data. NTIA also encourages users of the data to email us at btop@ntia.doc.gov to share their findings.

Data related to the BTOP Map is available in the following format:
BTOP_Map_Data.xls (MS Excel)

Please note that Application Programming Interfaces (API) have not been created for this map; therefore, they are not available for distribution.