FCC’s New Broadband Map Brings Challenges for Local Government

On November 18, the Federal Communications Commission unveiled an update of its map showing broadband availability in communities throughout the U.S. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is required to use this map to identify unserved locations eligible for extra funding, based on both service availability and the number of locations in any given area. Pew Charitable Trusts, Next Century Cities and others have worked hard to help communities fill gaps in the FCC map, but it’s an enormous task to create a truly granular picture of broadband coverage. Early responses to the FCC release from groups focused on broadband access suggest that there’s still potential for jurisdictions to miss out on upcoming Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding because of incomplete or inaccurate data.