Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2008

Update: NTIA Unveils Program to Help States Map Internet Infrastructure

The following summary was written by the Congressional Research Service (read the full text here):

Broadband Data Improvement Act

Section 103
Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):

1) to compile a list of geographical areas that are not served by any provider of advanced telecommunications capability (high-speed, switched, broadband telecommunications capability that enables users to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications);

2) when census data is available, to determine the population, population density, and average per capita income for each area; and

3) to make certain international comparisons.

Requires the FCC to conduct and make public periodic surveys of consumers in urban, suburban, and rural areas in the large business, small business, and residential consumer markets to evaluate the national characteristics of broadband service capability.
Requires expansion of the American Community Survey conducted by the Bureau of the Census to elicit information, including for native lands, to determine what households own or use a computer, if they subscribe to Internet service and, if so, by dial-up or broadband.

Section 104
Requires the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees on additional broadband metrics or standards that may be used by industry or the federal government to provide users with more accurate information about the cost and capability of their broadband connection and to better compare the deployment and penetration of broadband in the United States with other countries.

Section 105
Requires the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, subject to appropriations, to report to specified congressional committees on the impact of broadband speed and price on small businesses.

Section 106
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to:

1) make competitive grants to develop and implement statewide initiatives to identify and track the availability and adoption of broadband services within each state; and

2) create a web page on the Department of Commerce website that aggregates relevant information made available to the public by grant recipients, including hypertext links to any geographic inventory maps created by grant recipients.

Requires that the FCC provide eligible entities electronic access to aggregate data (subject to exception) collected by the FCC from broadband service providers. Defines "eligible entity" as an entity that is:

1) either an agency or instrumentality of a state (or a state's subdivision), a nonprofit organization, or certain independent agencies; and

2) the single eligible entity designated by the state to receive such a grant.