The Federal Communications Commission said it will preview its Broadband Data Collection (BDC) system on June 29, one day before broadband service providers can start filing info on where service is available. 

Congress has directed the FCC to come up with better data on where broadband is and isn't as the Biden administration begins to hand out tens of billions of dollars to subsidize unserved, then underserved, areas.

All facilities-based providers of fixed and mobile broadband internet access service must provide “complete, granular and reliable data” on broadband availability.

Also: FCC Public Data-Reporting Option Seeks Input on Broadband 'Problems'

The mandatory data filing window opens June 30 and closes Sept. 1. The webinar will help filers navigate the BDC system so they can start submitting their data.

The webinar, which starts at 2 p.m., will be streamed live at both www.fcc.gov/live and the FCC's YouTube page.

"The FCC is in the process of updating its current broadband maps with more detailed and precise information on the availability of fixed and mobile broadband services," the FCC said on a BDC web page it has set up. “The Broadband Data Collection (BDC) program will give the FCC, industry, state, local and Tribal government entities, and consumers the tools they need to improve the accuracy of existing maps.” ■

The FCC, Department of Agriculture, National Telecommunications & Information Administration (all of which oversee broadband subsidy programs) and the Treasure Department have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreeing to share "information about and collaborate regarding the collection and reporting of certain data and metrics relating to broadband deployment."

They have also agreed to, to the degree possible, develop "consistent, complementary, uniform formats, standard, protocols and reporting processes for that data.

For its part, the FCC has been working on collecting better data's on where high-speed broadband is or isn't given the tens of billions of dollars being spent on subsidies.

That MOU, which extends out two years but will almost certainly be renewed, comes as the Biden Administration Friday announced notices of funding opportunity for $45 billion worth of subsidies being handed out by NTIA, mostly to the states for their own broadband deployment and adoption programs.

As part of the agreement, the agencies will share information about projects that have gotten funding--or will be getting funding--under their respective broadband subsidy programs. They will also make that data available for public perusal  The MOU complements, rather than supersedes, a June 2021 MOU among the agencies "to coordinate the distribution of federal high-speed internet funds."

The FCC oversees billions in Universal Service Fund broadband subsidies as well as COVID-19 related emergency programs including for telehealth, remote learning. NTIA has about $45 billion in subsidies, mostly going to the states, and USDA has ongoing broadband subsidy programs for connected agriculture. ■

The FCC has proposed fining Barrier Communications $163,912, the most it could fine them by law, the FCC said, for "apparently reporting inaccurate information that significantly inflated its broadband subscription numbers, failing to file required deployment data, making false statements to Commission investigators, and failing to respond to other inquiries."

The FCC is in the process of coming up with better broadband availability maps and a process to challenge that data both on its own initiative and with a bipartisan push from Congress.

Barrier allegedly reported "vastly" more broadband subs than there were housing units in Suffolk County, N.Y., census tracts where it said it was delivering service.

It also allegedly failed to file the requisite file 477 data for over a decade and provided incomplete and inaccurate answers to the FCC's Enforcement Bureau.

The fine is only a proposal--in the form of a notice of apparent liability. Barrier will get a chance to respond to the allegations before the FCC takes any action.

The FCC's rules for establishing a new broadband data collection regime go into effect Sept. 17.

The comment dates have also been set for proposals on how the FCC can provide consumers, governmental entities and others teh ability to verify and/or challenge the new maps.

The latter are Sept. 8 for comments and Sept. 17 for replies.

That came after both the rules report and order and verification Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking were published in the Federal Register, which triggers the dates.

The FCC July 16 approved the broad strokes of its new Digital Opportunity Data Collection broadband data collection regime, which is intended to collect precise and granular data on broadband availability.

The FCC has been under pressure to get better data on where broadband is and isn't given that it hands out billions of dollars in broadband deployment subsidies based on that information and given that universal broadband is even more important during a pandemic when much of commerce and life is online.

Pai has said that the digital divide can't be closed until the FCC can get that better data and that better maps will also be needed to give the public confidence that the divide is being closed.

Related: House Republicans Push for Broadband Mapping Bucks

The FCC at its July 16 public meeting voted both to approve the report and order and the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on additional steps for verifying those maps and helping service providers provide better data. It also seeks comment on a process for allowing consumers to challenge the maps how and on how the FCC should fully implement the Broadband Data Act, which was Congress' directive to do better data collection.

The FCC has approved the broad strokes of its new Digital Opportunity Data Collection broadband data collection regime, which is intended to collect precise and granular data on broadband availability.

That came at its virtual July public meeting (actually a Microsoft Teams meeting, as FCC chairman Ajit Pai pointed out).

The FCC has been under pressure to get better data on where broadband is and isn't given that it hands out billions of dollars in broadband deployment subsidies based on that information and given that universal broadband is even more important during a pandemic when much of commerce and life is online.

Pai has said that the digital divide can't be closed until the FCC can get that better data and that better maps will also be needed to give the public confidence that the divide is being closed. 

Related: House Republicans Push for Broadband Mapping Bucks

The FCC voted on both the report and order laying out the framework for collecting and verifying data so it can build better maps. It also voted on a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on additional steps for verifying those maps and helping service providers provide better data. It also seeks comment on a process for allowing consumers to challenge the maps how the FCC should fully implement the Broadband Data Act.

That was Congress' legislative mandate to the FCC to do what it had already signaled it was doing, which is to come up with better maps.

One change to the order praised by commissioner Brendan Carr was the move of what Carr said would be the requirement to provide over a dozen sets of infrastructure data from the order to a further notice, meaning the FCC is seeking comment on that, not mandating it.

"[F]ixing the Commission’s maps, which are woefully inadequate for determining broadband coverage and service, remains a critical priority for the Commission," FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly said. "Today, we restart the process of climbing out of the tremendous hole we’ve dug.... "I’m hopeful that we are turning the corner on the Commission’s inaccurate mapping problems, and that the products of these efforts will allow us to make better decisions on how best to bring service to those remaining unserved Americans."

"Congress finally told us to clean up our act in the Broadband DATA Act, so that is what we do here," said commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "We implement this new law—and we mostly get it right… But there is one thing we surely get wrong. We are going to gather all of this precise data about where broadband is and is not, but we are not going to use any of it this fall when we distribute $16 billion in funding for improved broadband service across the country. In fact, the way this works is that less than one week before the election the FCC will distribute 80% of these broadband funds for the next decade. If you think that sounds irresponsible, you’re right.”

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks agreed that the FCC should not rush money out before it got data in.

Pai pointed out that Congress still needs to approve the funding for the FCC to be able to implement the Broadband Data Act. "We need money before maps," dollars before data."

“Timely, relevant and accurate broadband maps are essential to identifying policies that can help deliver mobile broadband service to Americans in communities across the country, especially in rural areas," said CTIA VP of regulatory affairs Matt Gerst. "We support the FCC’s adoption of the Broadband DATA Act’s provisions and look forward to quickly completing this very important proceeding.”

“Accurate broadband availability maps are foundational for efforts to close the digital divide. A detailed account of where broadband internet is available today would ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars to deploy high-speed internet infrastructure everywhere," said the Internet Innovation Alliance. "The current maps would leave many American households unconnected. With the broadband maps of today, all households in a given census block are assumed to have broadband access if even one household in the census block has broadband access."

“We appreciate the Commission’s ongoing efforts to improve its broadband data collection requirements to more closely reflect areas able to be served by broadband providers," said NCTA-The Internet & Television Association. "Specifically, the transition to a reporting mechanism based on polygon shapefiles, or electronic depictions of broadband providers’ service areas, will lead to more accurate maps of broadband availability throughout the country.”

“Fifteen months ago USTelecom set out to prove we could leverage data and technology to cost-efficiently transform America’s broadband maps – and ultimately increase connectivity in rural America," said USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter. "That vision is today a reality, and we are proud to have played our part in helping the FCC shape this game-changing mapping plan. Especially at a time when our country is relying on its communications infrastructure more than ever, modernizing our maps could not be more essential and smart policy. Next up: Congress must fully fund this data-driven mapping project so that future federal broadband spending will be based on the most accurate and granular map available.”

“We welcome today’s action by the FCC to implement the Broadband DATA Act to create more accurate broadband maps," said AT&T EVP Joan Marsh. "Creating more granular and detailed broadband maps sets an important foundation to close the broadband gap. We look forward to continuing to work with the Commission to make the new broadband map a reality so that more Americans have access to high-speed internet.”

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) asked about the FCC's Mobility Fund Phase II Universal Service Fund subsidy maps--based on carrier-supplied data--that were proven to be wrong. 

At a Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government oversight hearing on FCC spectrum auctions, he asked what consequences were falling on those who had put out "false maps and false information" to the FCC and to Congress. 

AT&T, for example, told the FCC back in April that thousands of census blocks the company had previously told the commission were getting high-speed broadband from the company at 25/3 Mbps weren't getting that high-speed broadband after all. It said the issue was a third party's geocoding software.

The FCC is holding an auction for billions in subsidies for rural broadband buildouts where data shows there is none, so the bad AT&T data could have meant subsidies would not have gone to areas that were actually eligible for them.

Lankford pointed out that a number of rural carriers had spent a lot of money proving that the data was bad and they should have been able to get subsidies to build out. 

He said those rural carriers will never be compensated for that expense. 

Pai said the staff had looked into the issue and, going forward, the FCC was looking to focus on 5G not doubling down on the 4G, whose availability data had those issues. 

Lankford asked again for an answer: "Are carriers who gave false maps to you going to have consequences?" 

Related: O'Rielly Has Issues with Funding Broadband Before Better Data

Pai did not exactly say yes. He agreed there "are definitely consequences for violating our rules" but said he would not speculate on what those might be, saying it would depend on the individual facts." 

Lankford tripled down: "We just haven't seen it [the consequences] yet." He said he had nothing against the carriers except that they provided false information and that there were consequences for those trying to prove those maps wrong, and in "significantly delaying" the rollout of service.  

He said given those real life consequences from their actions, he wants to make sure that doesn't happen again. 

Pai agreed that "inaccurate information" was not acceptable to either the American taxpayer or to him.  

"No, it is not," said Lankford, pointing out that one real-life consequence is that had the data not been false, some rural residents during the pandemic would have either had "something coming or something there."

The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act has passed the House by unanimous consent, which is a way to fast track a bill vote off the floor and only works if no one objects.

The bill, which is meant to get better broadband deployment data out of the FCC, must still pass the Senate and be signed by the President.

A Senate version already passed (as did a separate House version last year, but a different version, so the two had to be reconciled). The new House version was amended on the floor, so the Senate will have to revote it. A House source said Senate leaders agreed with the change and it is expected to pass without issue in the Senate.

The bill requires the FCC to issue new rules "to require the collection and dissemination of granular broadband availability data and to establish a process to verify the accuracy of such data, and more."  

The bill essentially pushes an effort already underway at the FCC. The commission voted earlier this year to come up with a more granular broadband data collection process that could be crowd-vetted.  

“Today, the House once again passed legislation to fix our nation’s faulty broadband maps," said its Democratic supporters, which included Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle. "This bill is the result of an agreement with the Senate to merge multiple bills into one package that can be signed by the President. Accurately mapping the availability of broadband internet service is essential to promoting the deployment of high-speed service to all Americans, especially those in unserved and underserved areas."

The legislators did not cite the FCC's plans for a new data-collection regime, saying: "It’s unfortunate that the Federal Communications Commission has failed to address these issues on its own, but this bipartisan bill marks a huge step forward in building out broadband where it is needed."

“I commend the House for passing the Broadband DATA Act," said Competitive Carriers Association President Steven K. Berry. "Every Member of Congress knows the parts of their district that have insufficient or no broadband service, and this legislation will help ensure that these areas can access the advanced broadband services they need and deserve. Reliable data is essential to improving the maps and achieving the FCC’s goal of closing the digital divide. I thank the House for passing this legislation and urge the Senate to act swiftly to send it to the President’s desk for enactment.

“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," said USTelecom President Jonathan Spalter. "This is a major, data-driven step forward in how we map broadband, and ultimately close the digital divide, in rural America." 

"WISPA applauds today’s House passage of S. 1822, a bipartisan, merged House-Senate broadband mapping bill, which seeks to fix our broken broadband maps," said Christina Mason, VP of government affairs, for the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association. "If signed into law, S. 1822 would go far in shepherding limited government support to areas that truly lack broadband, efficiently delivering Internet access to those who really need it, without overbuilding ISPs already there."

“While our way of life is becoming more reliant on technologies, 19 million Americans – including one-fourth of people in rural areas – still do not have access to broadband services," said House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore) and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta (R-Ohio). "We cannot expand broadband to communities who lack adequate access without understanding exactly where those communities are, which is why this effort is so important. This bipartisan bill will help us assess the availability of internet across our country and take the necessary steps to improve connectivity for all Americans, regardless of their zip code. Importantly, this bill will also make sure we do not repeat past mistakes by better directing our limited resources to the communities who need them most. We look forward to our Senate colleagues taking swift action on this bill and President Trump signing it into law,” Walden and Latta said."