State and Federal Broadband Maps

Join the Illinois Office of Broadband and Illinois Broadband Lab to discuss broadband mapping, including an overview of the Connect Illinois mapping review process, updates to the Illinois Broadband Map, and perspectives on the federal broadband map.

Speakers

Matt Schmit, Deputy Director for Broadband within the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, administers the state’s Office of Broadband and its various grant programs. Matt leads the push for Illinois' ubiquitous broadband access, engaging in outreach and collaboration across Illinois, and using his past expertise from consulting, collaboration, and research primarily in the areas of technology deployment, infrastructure investment, and economic development.

Shubhika Agarwal is a Visiting Coordinator for Broadband at the Illinois Broadband Lab. She has a background in Urban Planning and assists in Illinois’ Digital Equity Grant Programs—Illinois Connected Communities and the Accelerate Illinois Broadband Infrastructure Planning Program. She helps build capacity around broadband planning by sharing state and federal broadband access and adoption mapping and data resources; and supports broadband planning efforts by analyzing actual broadband speeds, usage, and satisfaction levels through broadband surveys. She is also working with the state’s mapping partners to create more accurate broadband maps and data layers to position Illinois to utilize federal funding most effectively for broadband deployment in unserved and underserved locations across the state.