NACo urges counties to participate in the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection process

-
BlogAmerica’s county government leaders have a unique opportunity to review and inform the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband mapping data for your county.NACo urges counties to participate in the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection process
-
Blog
NACo urges counties to participate in the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection process
America’s county government leaders have a unique opportunity to review and inform the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband mapping data for your county. This process, known as the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, will be instrumental in the distribution of more than $40 billion in federal broadband grants to states beginning in 2023.
In an effort to support counties as they prepare for a historic influx in broadband infrastructure funding, NACo is publishing key pointers and an accompanying resource hub to assist counties in the effort to close the digital divide in communities across the country. This page will be regularly updated with additional pertinent information for counties.
What is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection Process? Why does it matter for my county?
- Local governments, including counties, are being called upon to engage in the Federal Communication Commission’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, which is the ongoing effort to publish a new national map of broadband availability across the country that will provide both fixed service and mobile service data. Internet service providers and governmental entities play several roles in the Broadband Data Collection process, including submitting availability data (to the extent that they are direct providers of broadband services) and being permitted to review and challenge both location-based data and availability data contained within the maps.
- The Broadband Data Collection process requires a semi-annual submission of broadband availability data by providers of broadband services. The first submission cycle under the new BDC process took place from June 30 – September 1, and the next cycle will take place from December 31 – March 1, with each filing window taking place six months thereafter. The FCC’s national broadband map will continuously update with each filing period’s set of data, with the first version reflecting the first filing window’s data to be published in November.
How do I participate in improving the FCC’s location-based information?
- Internet service providers and governmental entities are now permitted to participate in reviewing the first layer of the forthcoming FCC broadband maps, which is called the broadband serviceable location fabric (or the Fabric). The Fabric includes every residential and business address that is deemed serviceable by a broadband provider, and service providers will be required to report the locations in which they serve and do not serve.
- The bulk challenge process for the Fabric is currently open for counties. It is not too late for counties to engage in this critical process. Although the challenge window will not close due to the broadband data collection process being designed as iterative and ongoing, counties are strongly encouraged to review and submit corrections to the data no later than December 1 to ensure the updated location data is included on the next round of broadband availability filing for service providers. It is highly expected that the NTIA will utilize the 2nd or 3rd iteration of the maps to make state funding allocations for BIL’s $42.45 billion BEAD program.
How do I participate in reviewing the FCC’s broadband availability data?
- The FCC is expected to publish their first iteration of the broadband maps in November. Following the publication of availability data, a challenge process for internet service providers and governmental entities as well as individual consumers will initiate for both fixed service availability and mobile service availability. The bulk specifications for challenging fixed availability data are now available, and counties can make preliminary preparations now to ensure they are familiar with the types of permissible challenges in advance of the release of the availability data.
- Challenges to mobile availability data will also be permissible, with challenges taking place through verified and approved third-party speed test applications. The FCC’s speed test application is the only application that has thus far been submitted for approval and approved by the commission for use in the mobile challenge process.
Additional NACo resources
- NACo One-Pager on the Broadband Data Collection process key dates
- NACo Webinar on the FCC Broadband Data Collection process
- NACo Blog on the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric release
- There are various third-party organizations that are offering free or low-cost technical support to counties and communities that are interested. These entities are not NACo-endorsed.
- U.S. Digital Response
- Rural Innovation Strategies
- Benton Institute
America’s county government leaders have a unique opportunity to review and inform the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband mapping data for your county.2022-10-31Blog2022-11-01
America’s county government leaders have a unique opportunity to review and inform the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband mapping data for your county. This process, known as the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, will be instrumental in the distribution of more than $40 billion in federal broadband grants to states beginning in 2023.
In an effort to support counties as they prepare for a historic influx in broadband infrastructure funding, NACo is publishing key pointers and an accompanying resource hub to assist counties in the effort to close the digital divide in communities across the country. This page will be regularly updated with additional pertinent information for counties.
What is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection Process? Why does it matter for my county?
- Local governments, including counties, are being called upon to engage in the Federal Communication Commission’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, which is the ongoing effort to publish a new national map of broadband availability across the country that will provide both fixed service and mobile service data. Internet service providers and governmental entities play several roles in the Broadband Data Collection process, including submitting availability data (to the extent that they are direct providers of broadband services) and being permitted to review and challenge both location-based data and availability data contained within the maps.
- The Broadband Data Collection process requires a semi-annual submission of broadband availability data by providers of broadband services. The first submission cycle under the new BDC process took place from June 30 – September 1, and the next cycle will take place from December 31 – March 1, with each filing window taking place six months thereafter. The FCC’s national broadband map will continuously update with each filing period’s set of data, with the first version reflecting the first filing window’s data to be published in November.
How do I participate in improving the FCC’s location-based information?
- Internet service providers and governmental entities are now permitted to participate in reviewing the first layer of the forthcoming FCC broadband maps, which is called the broadband serviceable location fabric (or the Fabric). The Fabric includes every residential and business address that is deemed serviceable by a broadband provider, and service providers will be required to report the locations in which they serve and do not serve.
- The bulk challenge process for the Fabric is currently open for counties. It is not too late for counties to engage in this critical process. Although the challenge window will not close due to the broadband data collection process being designed as iterative and ongoing, counties are strongly encouraged to review and submit corrections to the data no later than December 1 to ensure the updated location data is included on the next round of broadband availability filing for service providers. It is highly expected that the NTIA will utilize the 2nd or 3rd iteration of the maps to make state funding allocations for BIL’s $42.45 billion BEAD program.
How do I participate in reviewing the FCC’s broadband availability data?
- The FCC is expected to publish their first iteration of the broadband maps in November. Following the publication of availability data, a challenge process for internet service providers and governmental entities as well as individual consumers will initiate for both fixed service availability and mobile service availability. The bulk specifications for challenging fixed availability data are now available, and counties can make preliminary preparations now to ensure they are familiar with the types of permissible challenges in advance of the release of the availability data.
- Challenges to mobile availability data will also be permissible, with challenges taking place through verified and approved third-party speed test applications. The FCC’s speed test application is the only application that has thus far been submitted for approval and approved by the commission for use in the mobile challenge process.
Additional NACo resources
- NACo One-Pager on the Broadband Data Collection process key dates
- NACo Webinar on the FCC Broadband Data Collection process
- NACo Blog on the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric release
- There are various third-party organizations that are offering free or low-cost technical support to counties and communities that are interested. These entities are not NACo-endorsed.

About Seamus Dowdall (Full Bio)
Associate Legislative Director – Telecommunications & Technology
Seamus is the associate legislative director for telecommunications & technology on NACo's government affairs team.More from Seamus Dowdall
-
Webinar
Whole-of-State 2.0: A Tale of Two States and Counties
Mar. 9, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmUnable to attend? Watch the recording below. No matter where you are in your cybersecurity journey - you've probably heard of Whole-of-State. What does this mean for your jurisdiction? -
Webinar
NACo Cyberattack Simulation: Election Disruptions
Feb. 27, 2023 – Mar. 3, 2023Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy -
Webinar
Executive Perspectives on Preparing for an ERP Replacement Project
Feb. 22, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmUnable to attend? Watch the recording below. -
County News
‘When we’re not connected, we’re not safe,’ because buildings block radio
In a room packed with about 100 conference attendees, Guilford County, N.C. Commissioner Alan Perdue gave a powerful presentation Saturday morning on the importance of clear communication among emergency responders. -
-
Reports & Toolkits
NACo Technology Guide for County Leaders: Workforce
The NACo County Technology Advisory Council, with input from the Tech Xchange and the NACo Workforce Advisory Board, has developed a guide on workforce retention and recruitment for technology workers. This guide provides an overview, along with benefits and questions to consider in the technology recruitment and retention process
-
Webinar
NACo Cyberattack Simulation: Internet of Things
June 12, 2023 – June 16, 2023Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy06121:00 pm<p><em>Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy</em></p>
-
Webinar
NACo Cyberattack Simulation: Ransomware
September 11, 2023 – September 15, 2023Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy09111:00 pm<p><em>Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy</em></p>
-
Webinar
NACo Cyberattack Simulation: Employee Management
December 4, 2023 – December 8, 2023Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy12041:00 pm<p><em>Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy</em></p>
-
Basic page
County Tech Xchange
The NACo County Tech Xchange is an online portal designed to connect county CIOs, IT Directors, CISOs, and other county IT leadership. This portal provides valuable resources in a central location that counties can use to improve their overall technology infrastructure.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out transparent">
<tbody>
<tr> -
Basic page
TestIT: How Fast is Your Broadband
NACo has partnered with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) to develop a mobile app designed to identify areas with low or no connectivity to help ensure adequate funding for broadband infrastructure is provided across the country.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> -
Basic page
Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committee
All matters pertaining to telecommunications and technology policy, including, but not limited to, the county role as a telecommunications regulator, service provider, and consumer, cable services technology and implementation, information technology development and implementation, information technology innovation, e-governance, and geo-spatial data collection and utilization.pagepagepage<p>All matters pertaining to telecommunications and technology policy, including, but not limited to, the county role as a telecommunications regulator, service provider, and consumer, cable services technology and implementation, info
-
Reports & Toolkits
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
As intergovernmental partners, counties play a key role in ensuring the successful interpretation and implementation of the BILReports & Toolkitsdocument100710:00 amReports & Toolkits<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out transparent jump">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Contact
-
Associate Legislative Director – Telecommunications & Technology(202) 942-4212
Related Posts
-
County News‘When we’re not connected, we’re not safe,’ because buildings block radioFeb. 11, 2023
-
County NewsTikTok: It’s hip, it’s fun and it’s a security riskJan. 24, 2023
-
BlogData sharing paramount in modern county operationsDec. 16, 2022
Related Resources
-
VideoCIO Forum: RISE to the FutureFeb. 10, 2023
-
Reports & ToolkitsNACo Technology Guide for County Leaders: WorkforceFeb. 2, 2023
-
Policy BriefSupport the Extension of the Emergency Connectivity FundFeb. 1, 2023
Related Events
More From
-
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
As intergovernmental partners, counties play a key role in ensuring the successful interpretation and implementation of the BIL
Learn More