To Improve Broadband Deployment, Enhanced Data Collection Is Key

Incomplete information can make it difficult for lawmakers to understand the effects of policy and for government entities to enforce grant recipients’ program requirements. Because federal broadband data focuses on information like the number of households with subscriptions, it lacks feedback on network quality and reliability, or on how consumers experience a broadband connection. Incomplete data can also make it challenging for researchers to evaluate how specific broadband policy changes affect consumers, and for people involved in broadband deployment and adoption at the state level to monitor whether ongoing and new programs are meeting their goals. Lack of data on broadband’s societal impact—such as effects on the economy, education, and health care—has led states to conduct their own baseline measurements to meet Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program requirements. To highlight shortcomings in the federal data, The Pew Charitable Trusts assessed the literature on broadband that relies on federal datasets, in some cases going back decades. This brief not only outlines Pew’s review of the broadband literature assessing the gaps in available data but also looks at the available federal data sources for broadband. Finally, it explores the public policy implications of these gaps—and suggests some possible solutions to address them.