REDLANDS, C.A. – Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, presented the SC Broadband Office (SCBBO) with the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award on July 10, 2023, at the annual Esri User Conference (Esri UC). Selected from hundreds of thousands of users, the SCBBO received the award for its innovative use of mapping and analytics technology, as well as leadership in the field of broadband deployment.
The SAG Award is intended to demonstrate an appreciation for organizations around the world that are using geographic information system (GIS) technology to understand vast amounts of data and solve complex problems.
"Users across all industries continue to show the groundbreaking possibilities of what GIS can help them accomplish," said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. "I am honored to recognize all the organizations for the many ways they are taking a geographic approach toward meeting some of the most pressing challenges our world faces today."
The SCBBO has been using Esri ArcGIS since inception (July 2021) to monitor and map statewide broadband deployment every six months. By carefully analyzing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSL), the SCBBO has been able to partner with SC Internet Service Providers (ISP) to rapidly deploy high-speed Internet in rural areas. ArcGIS allows the SCBBO to maximize the impact of financial investments while minimizing the duplication of facilities.
“We are excited and honored to receive this award,” said Nanette Edwards, Executive Director of the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff. “ArcGIS is critical to targeting broadband infrastructure funding in the most efficient and effective means possible. We map, then invest.”
A total of 200 organizations from the commercial industry, defense, transportation, nonprofit work, telecommunications, and government sectors were honored.
Esri staff annually nominates hundreds of candidates from around the world for consideration, and Dangermond selects the finalists.
For more information on how the SCBBO is setting the trend in the use of geospatial technology, visit www.scdigitaldrive.org – the SC home for all statewide and county-by-county mapping and analytics.
About SCBBO: The SCBBO is housed within the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS). It serves as the central broadband planning body to coordinate with federal, state, regional, local, and private entities, to the extent practicable, to engage in the continued deployment of broadband infrastructure in the state.
About Esri: Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location.