NCTA Wants FCC, Congress to Improve Broadband Mapping
Rural broadband stakeholders hope to bridge a divided U.S. by pushing bipartisan support for increased infrastructure spending in rural America. NCTA hosted House Rural Caucus co-Chairs Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., and cable executives to showcase…
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the public-private partnerships to increase speeds and access. Justin Forde, Midco senior director-government relations and a proponent of fixed-wireless broadband services, said it's critical government funding programs remain technology neutral to make rural. Federal broadband investment should be concentrated in areas unserved by high-speed broadband, and better mapping is needed to do so, executives agreed. NCTA proposes providers use more granular shapefiles rather than Census blocks to inform a new mapping system (see 1905030060), noted Amy Bender, NCTA legislative counsel. There's a proceeding in docket 11-10, and Bender hopes the FCC and Congress will act quickly to impose a better mapping system. She wants to see whether Congress presses FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on the status at a Wednesday oversight hearing (see 1906050044).