Sen Manchin collects more than 1,000 speed tests

Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been collecting speed tests from his constituents to turn over to the Federal Communication Commission to prove their broadband data maps are wrong. His initial goal of collecting 1,000 speed tests in 2020 was accomplished the week of June 22. He says he's now looking to reach 1,500 or even 2,000. “This just a small sampling,” Sen Manchin said. “This is happening all over America. Rural America is getting left behind. They have no comeback, no justification to why we aren’t getting covered.” “These companies should have a conscience to give us a better service,” Sen Manchin said. “We’re captive. We’re going to stay on top of them and shame them until they make it better.”

Sen Manchin estimates about 30 to 40 percent of the state didn’t have access to telehealth during the pandemic. And he says it’s taken the FCC two years to acknowledge that their maps are wrong. He has filed a lawsuit to prevent the disbursement of funds until the maps are corrected and updated to more accurately depict broadband coverage. “Well I think they made a difference because that’s the first thing [FCC Chairman Ajit Pai] said ‘we’ve gotten your results of your tests,’” Sen Manchin said. “‘They don’t coincide with what you thought was going on in my state did they. He said ‘no’ and I said ‘that’s a problem.‘"