Broadband Deployment: Agencies Should Take Steps to Better Target Underserved Areas and Consider Sustainability

Access to broadband is critical for work, school, and healthcare. Federal programs have received billions of dollars in recent years to build broadband networks in remote or underserved areas. Some programs expect to complete these networks before the end of 2029—others in 2030 and beyond. Federal programs use Federal Communications Commission data to target funding to underserved areas. FCC accepts challenges from the public on the accuracy of its data and updates it as needed. But small communities and providers with few resources find the challenge process burdensome. The Government Accountability Office made recommendations, including that FCC improve its challenge process.