Challenge to FCC broadband map IDs thousands of NY addresses lacking connectivity
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Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state’s ConnectALL Program submitted the addresses of more than 30,000 locations that are either unserved, underserved or missing information.
In a challenge to the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband map, New York submitted more than 31,000 addresses that state officials said are unserved or underserved by high-speed internet or missing information and need to be included in the FCC’s broadband map.
The state submitted the data after its ConnectALL Office mapped broadband availability down to the street level. That map’s data came from field assessments conducted by the Public Service Commission in the most remote areas of New York, as well as collaboration with more than 60 internet service providers and a survey of tens of thousands of consumers.
The 31,798 addresses that make up New York’s challenge are part of an overall total of 138,598 addresses the state has identified as unserved or underserved by broadband internet as the FCC currently defines it: a 25 Megabits per second download speed and a 3 Mbps upload speed.
The ConnectAll Office was launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul in a bid to boost New York’s broadband and digital infrastructure. It partnered with the state’s Department of Public Service and the Office of Information Technology Services on the analysis of and challenge to the FCC maps.
The challenge process helps to better locate areas that are underserved or unserved by broadband. It means the FCC must recognize the identified locations as lacking broadband and update its maps.
The Department of Commerce is expected to start disbursing money to expand broadband infrastructure allocated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act late next year, using what the FCC calls a “map fabric,” which includes every address in the country and details on each business or household’s broadband access. That fabric is shared with states and other stakeholders, who can then challenge the FCC’s findings.
New York’s map, like others compiled by states that feature more granular data, means officials “have a clearer picture than ever about New York's broadband needs,” Hochul said in a statement. With more accurate data, “we are better able to advocate for federal funding and program support to fill those gaps.”
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