Notice
Reminder: January 13 Deadline Approaching for Pennsylvanians to Review FCC Broadband Access Map for Accuracy
January 5th, 2023Reminder: January 13 Deadline Approaching for Pennsylvanians to Review FCC Broadband Access Map for Accuracy
Final listening session planned at PA Farm Show for in-person or virtual participation
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (Authority) Executive Director Brandon Carson is reminding Pennsylvanians of the approaching January 13, 2023 deadline to review the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) broadband access map and help ensure high-speed internet access for all commonwealth residents.
“We need all Pennsylvanians to review the FCC’s broadband access map and, if necessary, submit their challenge by the January 13 deadline so the commonwealth receives enough federal funding to expand broadband access,” said Carson. “Making sure Pennsylvania has an accurate map is absolutely crucial to helping us close the digital divide.”
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. Pennsylvanians should visit the map to search for their home address to determine whether the information listed by the FCC is accurate.
Final Listening Session
The Authority is hosting one last broadband listening session:
- Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 8:30 AM – PA Farm Show, Harrisburg
In-person will be held at the PA Department of Agriculture Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, 2300 North Cameron Street, Susquehanna Room, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Public participation is encouraged virtually or in-person, but space is limited
Process to Challenge Inaccuracies in the FCC Broadband 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.
The Authority recently traveled across Pennsylvania to host listening sessions about the map and the process to challenge inaccurate information. Residents can find one of those pre-recorded sessions on DCED’s YouTube channel.
Penn State Extension also partnered with the Authority to discuss the map and challenge process, and the presentation from those webinars can be found on DCED's website.
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.
Additional information about the Consumer Challenge Process can be found on the FCC's website, and additional information on the Bulk Challenge Process can be found on the FCC's website, as well. A consumer may also challenge mobile data coverage through the FCC Speed Test App – a free application that can be downloaded from an Apple or Google Play Store.
Governor Tom Wolf announced the creation of the Authority in February 2022 to manage at least $100 million in federal aid to coordinate the rollout of broadband across Pennsylvania. The Authority was charged with creating a statewide broadband plan and distributing federal and state monies for broadband expansion projects in unserved and underserved areas of the commonwealth.
