Broadband Illinois Launches New Web Site Promoting Tools, Research and Opportunity

[Commentary] Illinois residents can now discover who offers high-speed Internet service in their neighborhood with a single mouse click or touch on a smart phone. They do this by visiting http://broadbandillinois.org, a new site launched Thursday by the Partnership for a Connected Illinois (or Broadband Illinois), a non-profit group based in Springfield. The web site offers a broadband location finder with detailed service provider information and assessments of Internet speeds, as well as locations of community broadband providers. Clicking on the home page map opens a side panel with broadband providers. Expanded results also show libraries, schools, and public building in the area with broadband. Broadband Illinois is the State Broadband Data and Development designee for the State of Illinois. As part of the US Commerce Department’s national broadband map, Broadband Illinois has collected and contributed broadband data to the national map. The Broadband Illinois web site is built around open and transparent data-sharing tools. It aims to encourages user feedback as a means of helping to improve and promote broadband in Illinois.