Step 1b: Select a Top-Down and/or Bottoms-Up mapping approach

In addition to the two main approaches, there are at least four different types of connectivity maps covering different elements and aspects of connectivity service. Those are Demand Mapping, Infrastructure Mapping, Investment Mapping and Service Mapping and their components are highlighted in the table below.

Table 2: Core mapping content of different types of connectivity maps

Demand mapping

  • Demand for bandwidth
  • Quality of service
  • Willingness to pay
  • Required services

Infrastructure mapping

  • Telecommunication structure
  • Other relevant infrastructure (utilities)
  • Construction works (roads, buildings)

Investment mapping

  • Segmenting infrastructure by investment sources
  • Private / funded
  • Planned / realized

Service mapping

  • Bandwidth & Access Technology (level of service availability)
  • Provider
  • Data volume usage, take-up
  • Price

A standard process of map developing can incorporate three stages: 1) Data Collection; 2) Data Processing; and 3) Data Publication. Data collection spans the identification of relevant sources and the appropriate data series to be collected. Data processing involves combining data series and robust quality checks. Data publication encompasses the sharing of data for appropriate audiences at relevant levels.

Table 3: Common process for all types of broadband mapping

Demand mapping

Choice of

- Data sources; - Information to be collected; - Spatial level of data collection; - Data supply process/frequency

Data processing

- Quality checks (additional manual checks/ user feedback); - Data conversion; - Additional data spatial integration

Data publication

Choice of - Data access level; - Spatial level of publication; - Publication format