How inaccurate broadband mapping is still impeding access

Tyler Cooper, editor-in-chief at BroadbandNow, joins the Divide to discuss recent research released by BroadbandNow, following a manual audit of over 100,000 addresses, revealing that the Federal Communications Commission's broadband map is still undercounting the number of people without broadband access in the US by 6.4 million. Specifically, the FCC's data estimates that 19.6 million Americans lack access to broadband at 100/20 Mbit/s, but BroadbandNow's audit revealed that number is closer to 26 million, representing a 33 percent undercount. Indeed, the group found that provider filings to the FCC overstate broadband availability "most sharply for newer fiber networks." According to BroadbandNow, 66.5 percent of "fiber-served" addresses on the FCC's map are unable to order a 100/20 Mbit/s fiber plan. Service providers are also exaggerating their coverage through DSL by 48.7 percent, fixed wireless by 44.6 percent and cable by 14.5 percent.