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Senators call for new FCC broadband maps

Senators concerned about gaps in broadband data are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to revisit its coverage maps to better guide federal infrastructure dollars.

During a March 13 committee hearing titled "Rebuilding Infrastructure in America: Investing in Next Generation Broadband," Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said the first step toward using federal funds to deploy broadband infrastructure must be the collection of "standardized and accurate data about where reliable fixed and mobile broadband already exists and where it does not." Although the FCC released new maps this year meant to depict fixed and wireless broadband availability, Wicker and other senators suggested that their personal experiences clearly demonstrated those maps reflect inaccurate information.

Wicker and others at the hearing were particularly critical of the FCC's recently released Mobility Fund Phase II, or MF-II, map. The map is meant to illustrate which areas lack 4G LTE wireless service, with those areas being eligible to receive funding to support the buildout of 4G LTE wireless service. All told, the fund is set to allocate $4.53 billion over the next 10 years, primarily in rural areas.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said the FCC's MF-II map currently shows "most of New Hampshire is covered," making the state largely ineligible for support for the fund. But from her own experience, Hassan said, "You can drive from Concord, N.H., our state's capital, to our biggest city in the southwest corner of the state, Keene … and you cannot get cell phone coverage for most of the trip."

"The accuracy or value of the map is nearly nil in my view," agreed Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

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After the hearing, an FCC spokesman said the initial MF-II map "is just the first step of the process, and there will now be a robust 5-month challenge window during which parties will have the opportunity to submit evidence that more areas should be eligible for the reverse auction." To create the MF-II map, the FCC in 2017 ordered a one-time data collection where wireless operators were required to submit their own propagation maps and model details to the commission indicating their current 4G LTE coverage, defined by download speeds of 5 Mbps. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai earlier said the "challenge process," outlined in August 2017, was designed to help "create an accurate map of unserved areas eligible for Mobility Fund II subsidies."

At the March 13 hearing, Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Steven Berry said in creating the map, the FCC used the wrong parameters in its request and so did not get "a granular map that has actual meaning on the ground."

Berry said the CCA, a group that represents rural wireless telecommunications providers, had encouraged the FCC to include signal strength in the map so as to better reflect the consumer experience. He also encouraged the FCC to work with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration — a division of the U.S. Commerce Department that advises the president on telecommunications policy issues — which has its own data teams, as well as relationships with state and local governments.

"If other agencies lack the resources to establish parameters for data collection to accurately reflect your constituents' experience, NTIA should revisit the issue prior final to funding decisions," Berry said. The CCA CEO ultimately cautioned senators against using the map as the basis for any funding program.

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Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., discussing mobile coverage
during a March 13 committee hearing.

Source: Senate Commerce Committee

Moran said he would like to see the FCC develop an entirely new map. Although the FCC gave service providers and state, local and Tribal governments 150 days to challenge the existing map, which was released Feb. 27, Moran said the current map is too deeply flawed to save.

"My hope is we start with a different map as compared to try to correct this one through an appeals process," Moran said.

Wicker seemed to support that idea, saying the current map "is utterly worthless."

The FCC's spokesman, however, expressed confidence all concerns could be addressed. "The commission anticipated that there would be feedback on the initial map, and that's precisely why it decided to establish such a lengthy challenge window," the spokesman said.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., indicated he would like to see the FCC take action on this issue soon.

"There has got to be a way to get the FCC's attention on this issue," Tester said, noting it is hard to move forward on next-generation projects, including 5G deployment, when so many Americans remain without service entirely.

"The problem is you look at the bars on this phone, when I go home, there are none," said the Montanan, holding up his smartphone. "So we're not even close to talking about 4G or 3G or any 'G' where I live. We're not even close. … Unless I am standing in the right corner of my house with my mouth held in the right direction, this phone does not work."