Data & Mapping

Maps of broadband availability are critical inputs for targeting public programs aiming to address disparities in digital equity, such as the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. In 2020, the Broadband DATA Act called on the Federal Communications Commission to create new, more granular, maps of broadband availability in the US.

The Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Task Force announced the release of two tutorial videos to educate providers on how to prepare and submit responses to challenges to mobile wireless coverage data filed in the Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The first video provides an overview of the FCC's rules for responding to a challenge, timelines for mobile service providers to respond to challenges, how a provider can demonstrate mobile coverage in an area, and types of evidence that may be used to rebut a challenge in different scenarios.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is in “close coordination” with the Federal Communications Commission regarding the update to the second version of the National Broadband Map, which will be used to determine state Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) allocations. “We are working with our colleagues at the FCC to determine when we will obtain the version of the map to use for our BEAD allocations,” an NTIA spokesperson said. NTIA is scheduled to release state BEAD allocations by June 30, 2023, and undoubtedly will need some time to work with t

While most Californians have access to broadband, at least two million households (15 percent) still do not—a gap known as the digital divide. In 2021, California invested $6 billion through Senate Bill (SB) 156 to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. The Public Policy Institute of California presents findings from the first year of implementation, drawing on statewide broadband data and interviews with 41 community partners, spread across 54 of California’s 58 counties. The Institute finds that:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to a letter from a group of senators regarding broadband consumer labels and pricing transparency. Specifically, Sens Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) urged the FCC to independently collect pricing data as the Commission fulfills its requirement of providing internet service provider (ISP) broadband consumer labels. In her response, Chairwoman Rosenworcel highlighted two actions taken by the Commission in late 2022.

Thousands of East Texans are part of a petition challenging the accuracy of the Texas Broadband Development Map that shows internet availability and speeds across the state.

New York State is approaching universal broadband through both access and adoption—and recognizes that affordability is a key barrier to adoption. In January 2022, Gov. Hochul unveiled ConnectALL, a $1 billion public-private initiative to deliver affordable broadband to millions of New Yorkers and transform the state's digital infrastructure through new investments. The initiative includes: 

As the City of South Bend’s Civic Innovation team works to better connect residents in our community, we need to first understand residents’ current experiences across connectivity options.

In November 2022, the Federal Communications Commission released new broadband maps that provide a snapshot of the state of broadband deployment in the United States. Here are some key developments and things the FCC learned over the past four months.

Sens Ron Wyden, (D-OR), John Barrasso (R-WY), and 12 other bipartisan senators called on the Federal Communication Commission to ensure rural and tribal communities in need receive their fair share of federal broadband grants. The members urged FCC to update the National Broadband Map each month, rather than every 6 months, so broadband grants will be awarded based on the most accurate information. The senators noted that many states were unable to challenge the accuracy of the broadband map in time to meaningfully impact how BEAD funds are being distributed.