FCC Seeks Comment on Competitive Carriers Association Petition to Require a Certified Professional Engineer to Certify Broadband Data Collection Maps

The Broadband Data Task Force, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, and the Office of Economics and Analytics seek comment on a Petition for Declaratory Ruling or Limited Waiver filed by the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) requesting that the Federal Communications Commission issue a declaratory ruling to clarify that Broadband Data Collection (BDC) filings may be certified by a qualified professional engineer or an otherwise-qualified engineer that is not a licensed professional engineer accredited by a state licensure board. CCA requests that the FCC clarify that the requirement that all providers must include as part of their BDC filing a certification of the accuracy of its submissions by a certified professional engineer may be completed by either a licensed professional engineer or an otherwise qualified engineer who possesses the appropriate engineering expertise but does not hold a professional engineer license. Additionally, CCA requests that the FCC clarify its definition of the term “corporate engineering officer” as it pertains to qualified engineers. Alternatively, CCA requests a limited waiver of the requirement that BDC data be certified by a licensed professional engineer, and instead allow mobile providers to certify their data with a Radio Frequency engineering professional with specified qualifications that are directly relevant to broadband availability assessment. The FCC seeks comment on these and other issues raised by the Petition as they may impact both fixed and mobile broadband service providers.