Better Maps, Better Connectivity: How Data Can Close the Broadband Gap

As policymakers work with industry and stakeholders to ensure that all Americans have access, they need reliable data to effectively target funding and programs to meet their goals. The primary source of information on connectivity is the Federal Communications Commission, which gathers data from carriers offering broadband service. Since 2011, that data—collected on Form 477—has been displayed on the Fixed Broadband Deployment map (previously called the National Broadband Map), which shows which entities are offering fixed broadband, where they are offering it, and at what speeds. But participants at a December The Pew Charitable Trusts event widely agreed that the Form 477 data is incomplete and sometimes inaccurate, which means that the map should not be treated as definitive about where broadband is available. Although it might indicate that access is available at a certain address, that might not be the case. Form 477 data captures the presence of broadband within a census block—and the size of a census block can vary from a single city block to hundreds of square miles. It does not account for factors such as whether a provider offers service only to a small portion of the census block or is able to access apartment buildings in the neighborhood. Many panelists noted the increasing demand by decisionmakers and the public for address-level data, but said such data is hard to obtain and verify because of concerns about competition, the burden on providers, and consumer privacy. No national address database exists that could be used for this effort, and the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration lack the resources under current programs to conduct in-depth data validation.