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Utilities commission weighs loading Ookla mobile data into town GIS, plans Verizon briefing and public maps
Summary
Commissioners discussed options to publish high-resolution mobile-signal maps derived from Ookla data, seek quotes to load or export the data from the contractor-maintained GIS, and pursue carrier meetings (Verizon on May 8). The commission also flagged emergency-service coverage gaps and a communications plan to share maps with residents.
The New Canaan Utilities Commission on April 10 discussed multiple options to make town mobile-signal data publicly usable, including buying high‑resolution PDF heat maps, loading Ookla measurement data into the town's GIS, or producing static maps with a topography overlay for the commission webpage.
The discussion centered on how to present Ookla crowd-sourced measurements so residents and emergency services can see where carriers provide stronger or weaker service. Commissioner Pablo said the commission received unencrypted CSV extracts from Ookla and that the contractor who maintains the town GIS would charge for (1) loading the full dataset into GIS, (2) producing high‑resolution PDF heat maps by provider, and (3) upgrading the GIS for on‑demand dynamic mapping. “They would charge us to generate PDFs of high resolution heat maps where they would actually indicate where for which provider the signal is good, not good,” Pablo said.
Why it matters: commissioners said accessible maps could help residents choose carriers, support emergency responders and first responders who sometimes lack reliable cellular connectivity, and provide visual evidence when the commission asks carriers to improve service.
Commissioners described three near-term technical approaches. The least complex is static PDFs: staff or a contractor would run scripts to interpolate Ookla point data, fill in missing altitude values, and produce heat maps that overlay topography. Commissioner Pablo said he tested scripts that fill altitude from GPS coordinates and generate those heat maps locally; he proposed giving the PDF outputs to town web staff so the maps can be posted on the Utilities Commission page. A middle option is paying the GIS contractor to load the dataset and produce maps on request. The most expensive option would be adding server resources so the cell‑measurement layer is dynamic within the GIS.
Participants also flagged operational and technical constraints. TimeBond (the contractor identified in discussion by Diane Bond) currently maintains the town's public GIS but keeps only a limited set of layers to avoid performance problems. The commission heard that the Ookla dataset contains many data points that could “kill” the GIS if loaded naively. Commissioner Pablo and other participants discussed using a hybrid approach: generate static, high‑resolution PDFs for public posting now and collect quotes to decide later whether a dynamic GIS layer is worth the cost.
Coverage details discussed included carrier differences and technical reasons for local weak spots. Commission members noted the town appears to have substantial physical tower infrastructure but limited 5G enablement; one speaker said roughly 58 transmitters exist in town and asked where they are located. Several commissioners and staff emphasized that enabling 5G on existing sites often requires changing antennas and transmitters, not just a simple software switch: “If you change the frequency that you're transmitting at, you have to change the transmitter,” a commissioner said.
Public‑safety implications were repeatedly raised. Commissioners said some emergency vehicles rely on a single Starlink unit mounted on a town vehicle and that many field responders may not have access to local Wi‑Fi. The commission discussed how better public maps could help New Canaan Emergency Medical Services and ambulance crews plan data transfers to receiving hospitals.
The commission also discussed carrier outreach. Staff reported a Verizon briefing scheduled for May 8 in Diana's office; commissioners discussed attending and encouraged inviting other carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile) to similar briefings. Staff and commissioners agreed to request quotes from the GIS contractor for: a) loading Ookla data into GIS (static or dynamic), and b) producing high‑resolution PDF heat maps by provider.
Communications and distribution was another focus. Danica, who presented a draft communications funnel, proposed routing commission content to Greg Riley (town communications) for posting to the town Instagram, website and Channel 79. Danica described short video clips and regular social posts as ways to get resident buy‑in and surface coverage problems to carriers and the public.
Next steps recorded in the discussion included staff collecting quotes from the GIS contractor, Pablo contacting the consultant/contractor to confirm they have access to the raw files, generating static PDFs with topography overlays for posting, and preparing for the May 8 Verizon meeting. No formal motion was required or recorded to approve those steps; the items were discussed as staff directions and project planning.
