SHLB Urges NTIA to Collect and Publish Anchor Institution Broadband Data

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition,  a broad-based membership organization that includes anchor institutions, broadband providers and public interest groups, filed comments with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) suggesting that the agency use new broadband availability funding to collect and publish data about anchor institution broadband. Congress appropriated $7.5 million to the NTIA  to improve broadband mapping. To determine how it can use this funding most wisely, the agency asked for comment on “on actions that can be taken to improve the quality and accuracy of broadband availability data, particularly in rural areas.” 

The SHLB Coalition made two key suggestions for how the NTIA might use these funds:

1. To collect, publish and display information about the quality of broadband available to community anchor institutions to determine if the U.S. is meeting Goal #4 in the National Broadband Plan.
2. To validate (from a consumer’s perspective) the broadband availability data provided by broadband providers to the FCC by surveying a sample of anchor institutions and residential consumers.