FCC receives praise, criticism from West Virginia leaders

The Federal Communications Commission received a lashing from one West Virginia elected official, while others praised the agency. Leaders in the House of Delegates support a set of conditions the FCC secured for the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile. But Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) blasted the FCC for a misleading report on broadband growth. He questions the report’s accuracy and is asking the FCC to seek more feedback from West Virginians on where broadband and wireless service is lacking. “As a West Virginian who has been to every county, almost every town and driven on almost every road, I know that the findings in this report do not accurately reflect what West Virginians are actually experiencing when it comes to internet coverage,” Sen Manchin said. “I am proud to be the only elected official to have officially challenged a federal broadband coverage map. It’s impossible to fill gaps if you don’t know they are there. That’s why accurate coverage maps are the first and most important step when determining who needs coverage.”