All Over the Broadband Map

What if you held a Congressional hearing and consensus broke out? As strange as that proposition may appear to be in Washington these days, there does seem to be general consensus that the Federal Communications Commission isn't doing a good enough job collecting data on where broadband internet access service is available -- and where it ain't. On September 11, the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened to discuss legislative solutions to our broadband data challenges. Although we see consensus that there's a problem with broadband data collection, it's only a start. We have a ways to go to a solution. Back in July, the Senate Commerce Committee passed its version of a broadband data solution, the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act. That bill now is co-sponsored by nearly half of the Senate, but it awaits a floor vote. The legislation considered this week requires a subcommittee and full committee mark-up, floor time, and consideration from the Senate. All that's a lot of hurdles as we hurtle towards a presidential election year.