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Pennsylvanians Encouraged to Review New Broadband Access Map

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (Authority) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced last week that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its new broadband access map, a tool that will be integral in ensuring the commonwealth receives sufficient federal funding to ensure high-speed internet access for all Pennsylvanians.

“This map is a critical step in closing the digital divide, and ensuring its accuracy is important,” said Carson. “I encourage all Pennsylvanians to review the FCC broadband access map and provide corrections through the challenge process.”

The FCC’s broadband access map shows all broadband serviceable locations across the United States where fixed broadband internet access service is or can be installed. The commonwealth’s allocation of funding for broadband deployment under the federal infrastructure law is dependent upon the map being accurate, and Pennsylvanians should visit the map to search for their home address to determine whether the information listed by the FCC is accurate.

Challenges to the Map

Challenges to the map can include:

  • A location that meets the FCC’s definition of a broadband serviceable location is missing from the map.
  • A location’s broadband serviceability is incorrectly identified.
  • Information such as the address or unit count for the location is incorrect.
  • The location’s placement (its geographic coordinates) is incorrect.

Pennsylvanians should challenge the map to help improve its accuracy by January 13, 2023. There are two ways to submit a challenge: by a single location, or in bulk. The location challenge can be completed by individual consumers utilizing the map itself. Bulk challengers will be required to use the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) platform to submit information to the FCC.

The maps are searchable by address. The results for a given address will show both the fixed broadband (fiber, cable, DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless) and mobile broadband (3G, 4G, and 5G wireless) coverage and providers that have been reported for that address, as well as the available speeds alleged by those providers. If that reported information is inaccurate – for example, if a provider has reported service as being available where it is not – then a resident can dispute the reported information by clicking on the Availability Challenge link on the right side of the map and submitting the form.
If you believe the information on mobile coverage submitted by a provider is incorrect, then you can dispute that information by taking outdoor (or in-vehicle) speed tests on your mobile phone with the FCC’s Speed Test App, which is available in the Google Play Store for Android devices, and in the Apple App Store for iPhone and other iOS devices. Search for "FCC Speed Test" to find and download the App.
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