March 3, 2020
Background: Today, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan ‘Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act’ to improve the accuracy of FCC nationwide broadband data maps.
The following statement can be attributed to Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom:
“Today’s vote in the House brings us closer than ever to fixing our outdated broadband maps and getting a clearer picture of who has – and who still lacks – 21st century broadband connectivity. This is a major, data-driven step forward in how we map broadband, and ultimately close the digital divide, in rural America.
“Thanks to the leadership of the Energy & Commerce Committee, particularly Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Walden and Reps. Doyle and Latta, future federal broadband spending in rural America is about to be based on the most accurate and granular map ever created.”
Representing a major evolution in the way broadband service is mapped in the United States, USTelecom and a diverse consortium of broadband companies and associations created the Broadband Mapping Initiative in March 2019 to more accurately map broadband deployment nationwide. In August, USTelecom released results of its mapping pilot program, revealing as many as 38 percent of total rural locations (445,000+) in census blocks reported as ‘served’ with current FCC Form 477 are actually unserved by any pilot participants.
Learn more HERE.