FCC Map Challenges and BEAD Program Funding

In November 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a draft of its broadband availability and accessibility maps. These maps were introduced in conjunction with the launch of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The BEAD Program—part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021—will allocate at least $100 million to each U.S. state and $25 million to each U.S. territory for the creation and deployment of broadband networks. 

The FCC’s broadband maps purport to offer a detailed view of the availability of broadband speeds throughout the country and, by extension, which areas are or are not underserved by broadband (that is, places where access to broadband is insufficient for the needs of the residents and businesses in the area). The maps will be used to make decisions about how much funding each state receives, and they’ll be a resource as states assess BEAD Program grant applications. A December FCC blog post claimed that “these new maps provide the best picture available to date of where broadband is and is not available across the country, and the maps will only get better over time as the FCC gets input from stakeholders across the country.” 

Soon, though, inaccuracies and errors were found among the FCC’s broadband maps. Many underserved areas went unreported or appeared (according to the FCC map data) to have sufficient broadband access. Other areas were simply missing from the maps. The FCC plans to update the broadband maps by June 30—and twice yearly thereafter—and legislation has already been introduced in the senate that would reallocate funds to states after the maps are updated. 

BEAD Program Director Evan Feinman also announced that states applying for BEAD funding have the opportunity, during the grant process, to challenge the FCC maps and demonstrate that areas are underserved or unserved. He also noted that states can opt to use their own broadband maps rather than relying on the FCC’s maps. 

What does this mean for you, if you plan to apply for BEAD Program funds? Here are three actions to consider: 

1. Review the FCC broadband maps carefully. Look at the areas where you want to expand your network, which might be tied to your BEAD Program grant application. See what the FCC claims about the area and see if it matches what you know.
   
   
2. Do your homework. Analyze the FCC data to see if what they’re reporting is accurate. Use geospatial software, speed test data, and other tools to determine which communities have adequate access to broadband and which don’t.
   
   
3. Gather the evidence you need for a successful challenge. Get ready to make your case to your state granting body. Evidence might include speed test data, user surveys or interviews with people in the area, or your own propagation maps.
   
   

While the FCC is working to improve their broadband maps, the ongoing challenges and calls for improvement mean that broadband service providers, municipalities, and utility companies hoping to deploy new networks will likely have to do some of the legwork themselves. Start your research now and make sure you have ample time budgeted during the grant process to review the FCC’s broadband maps for accuracy and possible correction. Your future funding may depend on it.