FCC Working on Maps That Aren't Coming Before 2022
Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the launch of a Broadband Data Task Force to push out the maps that will be needed for the 5G Fund, approved in October over partial dissents by Rosenworcel and fellow Democrat Geoffrey Starks (see 2010270034). Jean Kiddoo, who will chair the task force, warned the maps likely won’t be ready before next year. Rosenworcel declined to comment on the timeline in a news conference. The maps are also critical to other USF programs, officials said Wednesday.
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“A year translates to more like 18 months or longer, so this means the 5G Fund will not be moving forward until late 2022 or 2023,” Carri Bennet, Rural Wireless Association general counsel, told us.
“It’s no secret that the FCC’s existing broadband maps leave a lot to be desired,” Rosenworcel said during the meeting. “We can do better, and we will,” she said: The push will require “not just data from carriers but input from consumers and state, local and tribal governments, who know what is happening on the ground where they live.” Rosenworcel told reporters the task force is modeled on one set up for the TV incentive auction. Kiddoo was also a leader of that group.
“For too long, the commission was aware that our broadband data was deeply flawed,” said Starks. Some are raising “mapping-related” issues on the first awards under the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program, he said.
“We need to move with dispatch” on mapping, Commissioner Brendan Carr told reporters. During the last administration, “we rejected the old Form 477 approach and created a foundation” for “vastly improved maps,” he said: “The missing piece has been funding, which Congress thankfully provided.” The "good news" is the FCC is moving forward on auctions in the 2.5 and 3.45-3.55 bands, which will help with 5G, he said.
“We are working very hard and very fast on getting our contracting out,” Kiddoo said in response to a question from Carr. The task force will soon have better estimates on timing, but “it’s going to take a while,” she said: “We’ll try everything to get it quicker.” A “large team of experts from offices and bureaus across the entire commission are already hard at work, and the many difficult and interdisciplinary tasks we need to complete are already well underway,” Kiddoo said.
The mapping process will require “data validation at intake, technical assistance to stakeholders, user-friendly … crowdsourcing, audits and, where necessary, rigorous verification and enforcement actions,” said Kirk Burgee, Wireline Bureau chief of staff. The FCC will be able to produce “vastly more granular and accurate broadband deployment maps,” he said. The FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid omnibus law provided funding for mapping.
The agency took the right step in creating the task force, said Competitive Carriers Association President Steve Berry: “The FCC should proceed to generate new coverage maps as quickly as possible, but most importantly, it’s critical that we do the mapping process properly using updated parameters as directed by Congress. We need reliable data to ensure that scarce funding is targeted to where it is needed.”
“Accurate maps will more precisely target areas where gaps in broadband remain and are an imperative before the Commission can launch the second phase” of RDOF, said Joan Marsh, AT&T executive vice president-federal regulatory relations.
The Wireless, Wireline, Consumer and Governmental Affairs, and International bureaus and the offices of Economics and Analytics, Engineering and Technology, and the Managing Director are involved, said a news release.