Data & Mapping
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Who Had the Most Fun at the Oversight of President Biden's Broadband Takeover Hearing?
The House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing that included testimony from each of the five (yes, there are five now) FCC commissioners. A partisan tone was set by the get-go as the title for the hearing was "Oversight of President Biden's Broadband Takeover." The key questions for the Republican Members of the panel going into the hearing were:
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Request for Proposal: Broadband Mapping and Gap Analysis in Appalachian Region
Connect Humanity invites experienced vendors to submit proposals for Mapping and Gap Analysis services in the Appalachian Region, specifically related to broadband demand across 12 states (Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia). The purpose of this project is to create AGOL environments for each of our grantees on which they can begin designing proposed broadband network builds.
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What the 2022 American Community Survey Tells Us About Digital Equity
The American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 one-year estimates, which were released in September 2023, reveal the impact of digital inclusion work and the disparities that still exist. First, we have to celebrate the progress made in broadband adoption reflected in the 2022 data. From 2021 to 2022, 2.5 million new households subscribed to wireline broadband (DSL, cable, or fiber connections). This is a huge number to celebrate.
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Chairwoman Rosenworcel's Response to Members of Congress Regarding Broadband Data Collection
On May 10, 2023, 19 House Members wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to express concerns about the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Data Collection and asking the FCC to 1) Strengthen outreach to state and local governments on technical assistance to those interested in verifying availability and location data within their jurisdiction on a consistent basis; 2) Elevate public outreach and education opportunities for members of the public who would like to participate in the individual challenge process contained within the Broadband
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US Affordable Connectivity Program is Closing the Digital Divide
In the wake of the Biden Administration’s request for a $6 billion extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), some in Congress question the program’s true impact on bringing broadband access to new users.
We need better data to truly unlock technological neutrality in broadband deployment
Every year by law the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has to “determine whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.” If not, the FCC “shall take immediate action to accelerate deployment of such capability by removing barriers to infrastructure investment and by promoting competition in the telecommunications market.” While broadband data is in better shape, there are still critical gaps that mean we don’t have enough data to fully answer the question.
Fixed wireless expands the overall broadband market
The telecommunications industry has been adding fixed wireless access (FWA) subscribers at a clip of between 900,000 and 1 million per quarter over the past five quarters, according to New Street Research. And the analysts say, “We expect similar results over the next two quarters, with T-Mobile targeting around 500,000 per quarter and Verizon targeting 375,000-400,000 per quarter.” FWA has claimed more than 80% of industry broadband adds in the U.S.
New FCC Broadband Map, version 3
The Federal Communications Commission's new version of the National Broadband Map includes a dramatic decrease in the number of Unserved and Underserved locations. We now have 7.1 million unserved locations and 3.0 million underserved location. The total of 10.1 million locations is a decrease of 16% from the 11.9 million locations that were unserved and underserved six months earlier. As Chairwoman Rosenworcel said in a blog post, I’m sure we’re seeing some of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund projects start to light up.
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National Broadband Map 3.0: Thankful for Continued Improvements
Everyone associates this time of year with Thanksgiving, but, for those of us who occasionally visit FCC.gov, there’s another reason for anticipation when the calendar turns to November: new broadband maps. The third iteration of the National Broadband Map is now publicly available. Notable highlights include:
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Envisioning a Connected, Interconnected Alabama
The Alabama Digital Expansion Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) has released a draft of the state's Digital Opportunity Plan, which details Alabama's vision of a connected, interconnected future.