State & local policymakers: Concerned about how much federal broadband funding your area will receive? What’s your strategy in reviewing the FCC broadband map?

Since the widespread usage of the internet in the 1990s, the question of who has access to broadband and the definition of high-speed internet has bedeviled federal, state and local officials.  Attempts to map which addresses have access to high-speed service date back at least 20 years. The latest iteration, a new national broadband map released by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be used to ensure that the $42.45 billion federal investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program makes its way to the areas most in need of broadband service when it is allocated to states on June 30. With challenges to the map due by Jan. 13, SSTI urges state and local policymakers to take a close look at the map and encourage your residents to provide feedback on the map.

Six SSTI staff members living in California, Georgia, Maryland and Ohio had varying experiences on the real-life accuracy of the information contained in the map. Staff that identified problems with the map found that it tended to have errors in addresses (e.g., incorrect numbers or missing entirely) and overstating providers that could or would provide service to the address. This included: satellite providers (e.g., Starlink and Starry) the map said could provide service to the address but actually did not provide service; and, two companies offering 1 gig download speed, but one of those companies having previously denied service to the property, thus, leaving the property with only one potential provider of truly high-speed internet. 

With billions at stake, state and local policymakers would be well-served to publicize the map and encourage their residents to check its accuracy. Similar campaigns to encourage people to complete the U.S. Census are a regular part of the Census taking process. Why a similar widespread messaging campaign was not undertaken to promote review of the map is unclear.  

A potential barrier to determining the accuracy of the map includes ease of access to the map for those without high-speed internet access. This is particularly ironic — the FCC is encouraging people to review the map and determine if it is accurate, but for those lacking high-speed internet access, how will they review the map? The people who should benefit the most from the broadband spending may, in fact, be the ones least reached to comment on the map.

While the map is far from perfect, little time remains to challenge the information. To aid in spreading the word, the FCC has provided a National Broadband Map Outreach Toolkit.