March 24, 2020
“A big deal”
Background: The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act was signed into law last night. The legislation will create a new national broadband map and improve broadband data collection.
The following statement can be attributed to Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom:
“At a time when the nation is collectively relying on its communications infrastructure more than ever, and the indispensability of broadband to families, businesses and educators is coming into full view, modernizing our broadband maps to increase connectivity and narrow the gaps in rural America couldn’t be more necessary.
“This was a bipartisan effort from start to finish and it shows in the final product. USTelecom members are proud to have played our part in helping to shape this game-changing mapping plan. Next step: Congress should fully fund this data-driven project so that future federal broadband spending in our nation will be based on the most accurate and granular map we’ve ever had. That’s a big deal.”
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.