Jan 6, 2023 4 min read

With one week left to review the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map, Pittsburgh-based company Michael Baker International is sharing tips for how people can challenge the maps showing where high-speed internet service is offered.

On Thursday, Michael Baker, in tandem with DATAMARK GIS and Broadband FCC Filing Assistance, hosted the second in a three-part webinar series focused on the mapping and challenging of broadband location and availability.

In November, the FCC released a comprehensive National Broadband Map, which allows individuals to search any address in the U.S. The search yields broadband information, including what providers service that address and whether or not the address has internet.

In the past, the FCC determined which addresses had broadband based on data from a Census block, meaning if one address in a neighborhood had high-speed internet, with 25 megabits or more of download speed, the rest of the homes in that area were considered “served” by the federal government.

But Census block mapping wasn’t always accurate, explained Sean Carlton, a GIS specialist with Michael Baker.

“For instance, my house doesn’t exist in this most recent iteration of the fabric (map), and so I challenged to add that. The availability in my neighborhood was also incorrect based on what providers filed,” Carlton said. “Individuals should absolutely submit challenges. If you know what providers are in your neighborhood … if one of the providers is saying that they serve your area in particular and you know that’s not the case because you tried shopping, try to file availability challenges. If you live in an area of new construction, you’re likely not in the fabric.”

In order for challenges to be considered by the FCC, individuals should submit challenges online through the New National Broadband Map at https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home no later than Jan. 13.

To challenge, first search your address. If the information provided is accurate, no action is required. If, however, the information is not correct, click the appropriate challenge button, complete and submit the online form.

“It’s actually pretty user-friendly,” said Andrew Scampone, technical manager for Michael Baker.

The goal of the FCC broadband survey is to ensure everyone has access to high-speed internet service, which is necessary not only for remote work and school, but also for agricultural jobs. The more people challenging the FCC broadband map, the more accurate internet access data becomes and the greater the understanding is for which parts of the U.S. need better broadband infrastructure.

That’s especially important in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where last year Washington County launched a major broadband expansion initiative with federal funding and Greene County recently partnered with Kinetic by Windstream to install 31 miles of fiber cable in northwest Greene with hopes to expand into Gray, Morris and Richhill townships. Fayette County is also working on its own broadband survey that it launched in November.

“There is a deadline of Jan. 13,” Scampone reiterated. “I know it’s a tight deadline. If you are unable to do it by the 13th … the challenge process will just be rolling.”

But, he noted, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration encourages broadband challenges be submitted as soon as possible, so that the next map, slated to go public in June, will be more accurate, and funding opportunities awarded to those in most need.

For more detailed information, including how to submit bulk challenges, view Michael Baker International’s broadband webinars online at www.youtube.com/@datamarkgis6080.