Data & Mapping

The Federal Communications Commission is poised to implement a comprehensive overhaul of its existing broadband data mapping and collection process with a new Broadband Data Collection (BDC) program. Under the BDC, all facilities-based providers of fixed and mobile broadband Internet access services will be required to submit broadband data on a biannual basis. As discussed below, the initial filing window is between June 30, 2022, and September 1, 2022. Ensuring nationwide access to affordable high-speed broadband service is a national priority.

Imagine Idaho Foundation will conduct a state-wide internet speed-testing campaign. Data from the campaign will be mapped by GEO Map. The campaign aims to collect data on underserved and unserved Idahoans that can be utilized to challenge Federal Communications Commission 477 reporting and help Idaho counties apply for grant funding for broadband infrastructure projects. All costs associated with the speed-testing campaign are grant-funded by Imagine Idaho Foundation.

Tens of billions of dollars in federal funding are poised for new broadband infrastructure deployment over the next five years. But a crucial step in allocating funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program - for states and local governments - lies in knowing where fast, affordable, reliable broadband access currently is, so that they know where to drive new investment.

In 2018, Congress provided funding to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to create a National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM) and to work with Federal Communications Commissionas well as state and local governments, nonprofits, network owners and operators and other stakeholders to achieve this goal.

On April 4 the American Enterprise Institute hosted a discussion on how states can best use the $65 billion for broadband build-out apportioned by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai was joined by Sen.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) gives the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) a specific allocation formula for distributing the $42.45 billion in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Importantly, even the allocation of funds to states has to wait until after the Federal Communications Commission is done with their new maps. After all, the formula is based on the number of unserved locations and we don’t trust the existing data on unserved locations.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to Sens Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in response to their letter on the FCC’s efforts to implement the Broadband Deployment Locations Map. In the April 15, 2022 letter, Rosenworcel said the FCC began efforts to implement the broadband map following the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The California Department of Technology released documents showing its recommended design for the $3.25 billion statewide broadband network Gov Gavin Newsom (D-CA) approved in summer 2021.

The Federal Communications Commission is diligently working on new broadband maps. The stakes are high since all of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act broadband funding requires the new maps to exist before the money can be allocated to states. The new maps will fix a well-known flaw in the current “Form 477” maps, which is Census blocks are either served or not served - there’s no concept of a partially served block. Here, I use a simple technique to make an estimate of what the new maps might look like, using only data currently available.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced the state broadband map is now available for public comment. The map is available on the TNECD mapping site, and the public comment period closes on May 30, 2022. TNECD invites broadband providers, local leaders and community members to provide input on the map via TNECD’s broadband site.