The purposes of this subpart are to set out the terms by which certain commercial and government-controlled entities report data to the Commission concerning:

(a) The provision of wired and wireless local telephone services and interconnected Voice over internet Protocol services;

(b) The deployment of advanced telecommunications capability, as defined in 47 U.S.C. 1302, and services that are competitive with advanced telecommunications capability; and

(c) The availability and quality of service of broadband internet access service.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020]

(a) Definitions. Terms used in this subpart have the following meanings:

(1) Broadband connection. A wired line, wireless channel, or satellite service that terminates at an end user location or mobile device and enables the end user to receive information from and/or send information to the internet at information transfer rates exceeding 200 kilobits per second (kbps) in at least one direction.

(2) Facilities-based provider. An entity is a facilities-based provider of a service if it supplies such service using facilities that satisfy any of the following criteria:

(i) Physical facilities that the entity owns and that terminate at the end-user premises;

(ii) Facilities that the entity has obtained the right to use from other entities, such as dark fiber or satellite transponder capacity as part of its own network, or has obtained;

(iii) Unbundled network element (UNE) loops, special access lines, or other leased facilities that the entity uses to complete terminations to the end-user premises;

(iv) Wireless spectrum for which the entity holds a license or that the entity manages or has obtained the right to use via a spectrum leasing arrangement or comparable arrangement pursuant to subpart X of this Part (§§ 1.9001-1.9080); or

(v) Unlicensed spectrum.

(3) End user. A residential, business, institutional, or government entity that subscribes to a service, uses that service for its own purposes, and does not resell that service to other entities.

(4) Local telephone service. Telephone exchange or exchange access service (as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153(20 and (54)) provided by a common carrier or its affiliate (as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153(2)).

(5) Mobile telephony service. Mobile telephony (as defined in § 20.15 of this chapter) provided to end users by a commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) provider.

(6) Broadband internet access service. Has the meaning given the term in § 8.1(b) of this chapter.

(7) Broadband map. The map created by the Commission under 47 U.S.C. 642(c)(1)(A).

(8) Cell edge probability. The likelihood that the minimum threshold download and upload speeds with respect to broadband internet access service will be met or exceeded at a distance from a base station that is intended to indicate the ultimate edge of the coverage area of a cell.

(9) Cell loading. The percentage of the available air interface resources of a base station that are used by consumers with respect to broadband internet access service.

(10) Clutter. A natural or man-made surface feature that affects the propagation of a signal from a base station.

(11) Fabric. The Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric established under 47 U.S.C. 642(b)(1)(B).

(12) FCC Form 477. Form 477 of the Commission relating to local telephone competition and broadband reporting.

(13) Indian Tribe. Has the meaning given the term “Indian tribe” in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

(14) Mobility Fund Phase II. The second phase of the proceeding to provide universal service support from the Mobility Fund (WC Docket No. 10-90; WT Docket No. 10-208).

(15) Propagation model. A mathematical formulation for the characterization of radio wave propagation as a function of frequency, distance, and other conditions.

(16) Provider. A facilities-based provider of fixed or mobile broadband internet access service.

(17) Quality of service. With respect to broadband internet access service, the download and upload speeds, and latency if applicable, with respect to that service, as determined by, and to the extent otherwise collected by, the Commission.

(18) Shapefile. A digital storage format containing geospatial or location-based data and attribute information regarding the availability of broadband internet access service and that can be viewed, edited, and mapped in geographic information system software.

(19) Standard broadband installation. The initiation by a provider of fixed broadband internet access service in an area in which the provider has not previously offered that service, with no charges or delays attributable to the extension of the network of the provider, and includes the initiation of fixed broadband internet access service through routine installation that can be completed not later than 10 business days after the date on which the service request is submitted.

(20) H3 standardized geospatial indexing system. A system developed by Uber Technologies, Inc., that overlays the Earth with hexagonal cells of different sizes at various resolutions. The smallest hexagonal cells are at resolution 15, in which the average hexagonal cell has an area of approximately 0.9 square meters, and the largest are at resolution 0, in which the average hexagonal cell has an area of approximately 4.25 million square kilometers. Hexagonal cells across different resolutions are referred to as a “hex-n” cell, where n is the resolution (e.g., “hex-15” for the smallest size hexagonal cell). The H3 standardized geospatial indexing system employs a nested cell structure wherein a lower resolution hexagonal cell (the “parent”) contains approximately seven hexagonal cells at the next highest resolution (its “children”). That is, a hex-1 cell is the “parent” of seven hex-2 cells, each hex-2 cell is the parent of seven hex-3 cells, and so on.

(b) The following entities shall file with the Commission a completed FCC Form 477, in accordance with the Commission's rules and the instructions to the FCC Form 477:

(1) Facilities-based providers of broadband service;

(2) Providers of local telephone service;

(3) Facilities-based providers of mobile telephony service; and

(4) Providers of Interconnected Voice over internet Protocol (VoIP) service (as defined in § 9.3 of this chapter) to end users.

(c) Respondents identified in paragraph (b) of this section shall include in each report a certification signed by an appropriate official of the respondent (as specified in the instructions to FCC Form 477) and shall report the title of their certifying official.

(d) Disclosure of data contained in FCC Form 477 will be addressed as follows:

(1) Emergency operations contact information contained in FCC Form 477 is information that should not be routinely available for public inspection pursuant to section 0.457 of this chapter, in addition to other information that should not be routinely available for public inspection pursuant to § 0.457.

(2)(i) Respondents may request that provider-specific subscription information in FCC Form 477 filings be treated as confidential and be withheld from public inspection by so indicating on Form 477 at the time that they submit such data.

(ii) The Commission will release the following information in FCC Form 477 filings to the public, and respondents may not request confidential treatment of such information:

(A) Provider-specific mobile deployment data;

(B) Data regarding minimum advertised or expected speed for mobile broadband services; and

(C) Location information that is necessary to permit accurate broadband mapping, including crowdsourcing or challenge processes.

(3) Respondents seeking confidential treatment of any other data contained in FCC Form 477 must submit a request that the data be treated as confidential with the submission of their Form 477 filing, along with their reasons for withholding the information from the public, pursuant to § 0.459 of this chapter.

(4) The Commission shall make all decisions regarding non-disclosure of provider-specific information, except that the Chiefs of the Office of International Affairs, Space Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, or Office of Economics and Analytics may release provider-specific information to:

(i) A state commission, provided that the state commission has protections in place that would preclude disclosure of any confidential information,

(ii) “Eligible entities,” as those entities are defined in the Broadband Data Improvement Act, in an aggregated format and pursuant to confidentiality conditions prescribed by the Commission, and

(iii) Others, to the extent that access to such data can be accomplished in a manner that addresses concerns about the competitive sensitivity of the data and precludes public disclosure of any confidential information.

(e) Respondents identified in paragraph (b) of this section shall file a revised version of FCC Form 477 if and when they discover a significant error in their filed FCC Form 477. For counts, a difference amounting to 5 percent of the filed number is considered significant. For percentages, a difference of 5 percentage points is considered significant.

(f) Failure to file the FCC Form 477 in accordance with the Commission's rules and the instructions to the Form 477 may lead to enforcement action pursuant to the Act and any other applicable law.

[65 FR 19684, Apr. 12, 2000; 65 FR 24654, Apr. 27, 2000, as amended at 67 FR 13224, Mar. 21, 2002; 69 FR 77938, Dec. 29, 2004; 69 FR 72027, Dec. 10, 2004; 73 FR 37881, July 2, 2008; 78 FR 45470, July 29, 2013; 78 FR 49148, Aug. 13, 2013; 84 FR 43723, Aug. 22, 2019; 85 FR 838, Jan. 8, 2020; 85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020; 86 FR 18159, Apr. 7, 2021; 87 FR 21509, Apr. 11, 2022; 88 FR 21435, Apr. 10, 2023]

Entities subject to the provisions of § 1.7001 shall file reports semi-annually. Reports shall be filed each year on or before March 1st (reporting data required on FCC Form 477 as of December 31 of the prior year) and September 1st (reporting data required on FCC Form 477 as of June 30 of the current year). Entities becoming subject to the provisions of § 1.7001 for the first time within a calendar year shall file data for the reporting period in which they become eligible and semi-annually thereafter.

[78 FR 49148, Aug. 13, 2013]

The Office of International Affairs, Space Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, and Office of Economics and Analytics may update the specific content of data to be submitted on FCC Form 477 as necessary to reflect changes over time in transmission technologies, spectrum usage, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other data storage and processing functionalities, and other related matters; and may implement any technical improvements or other clarifications to the filing mechanism and forms.

[88 FR 21435, Apr. 10, 2023]

(a) All providers shall make biannual filings with the Commission in the Digital Opportunity Data Collection portal in accordance with this subpart.

(b) Digital Opportunity Data Collection filings shall be made each year on or before March 1 (reporting data as of December 31 of the prior year) and September 1 (reporting data as of June 30 of the current year). Providers becoming subject to the provisions of this section for the first time shall file data initially for the reporting period in which they become eligible.

(c) Providers shall include in their filings data relating to the availability and quality of service of their broadband internet access service in accordance with this subpart.

(1) Each provider of terrestrial fixed or satellite broadband internet access service shall submit polygon shapefiles or a list of addresses or locations, and each provider of fixed wireless broadband internet access service shall submit propagation maps and model details that reflect the speeds and latency of its service or a list of addresses or locations, that document the areas where the provider has actually built out its broadband network infrastructure, such that the provider is able to provide service, and where the provider is capable of performing a standard broadband installation. Each provider's submission shall include the details of how it generated its polygon shapefiles, propagation maps and model details, or list of addresses or locations. In addition, fixed broadband internet service providers shall indicate, for each polygon shapefile or location they submit in the Digital Opportunity Data Collection, whether the reported service is available to residential customers and/or business customers.

(i) Each provider of fixed broadband internet access service shall report the maximum advertised download and upload speeds associated with its broadband internet access service available in an area. However, for service offered at speeds below 25 Mbps downstream/3 Mbps upstream, providers shall report the maximum advertised download and upload speeds associated with the service using two speed tiers: One for speeds greater than 200 kbps in at least one direction and less than 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream, and another for speeds greater than or equal to 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream and less than 25 Mbps downstream/3 Mbps upstream.

(ii) Each provider of fixed broadband internet access service shall indicate in its Digital Opportunity Data Collection filing whether the network round-trip latency associated with each maximum speed combination reported in a particular geographic area is less than or equal to 100 milliseconds (ms), based on the 95th percentile of measurements.

(iii) Terrestrial fixed providers using certain wireline technologies may not report coverage that exceeds a defined maximum distance from an aggregation point, including the drop distance, or that exceeds 500 feet from a deployed line or distribution network infrastructure to the parcel boundary of a served location.

(A) Terrestrial fixed providers using Digital Subscriber Line technology shall not report coverage that exceeds 6,600 route feet from the digital subscriber line access multiplexer to the customer premises for speeds offered at or above 25 Mbps downstream, 3 Mbps upstream. Providers that offer Digital Subscriber Line service in areas at speeds less than 25 Mbps downstream, 3 Mbps upstream shall not be subject to a maximum buffer requirement for such areas.

(B) Terrestrial fixed providers using Fiber to the Premises technology shall not report coverage that exceeds 196,000 route feet from the optical line termination point to the optical network termination point.

(C) Terrestrial fixed providers using Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Cable technology shall not report coverage that exceeds 12,000 route feet from the aggregation point to the customer premises.

(D) Locations can be reported as served beyond the maximum distances to the extent that:

(1) A provider has a current subscriber at a location beyond the bounds of the applicable maximum distance;

(2) A provider previously had a broadband subscriber, using the same technology, at a location beyond the bounds of the maximum distance;

(3) A provider is receiving or has received universal service support to provide broadband service in a particular geographic area—or has other Federal, state, or local obligations to make service available in the area—and the provider has begun to make service available in that area; or

(4) A provider receives a waiver to report coverage beyond the maximum distances.

(iv) Fixed wireless service providers that submit coverage maps shall submit propagation maps and propagation model details based on the following parameters:

(A) A cell edge probability of not less than 75% of receiving the maximum advertised download and upload speeds;

(B) A cell loading factor of not less than 50%; and

(C) Receiver heights within a range of four to seven meters.

(2) Fixed wireless service providers that submit coverage maps shall provide the following information with their propagation maps and model details:

(i) The name of the radio network planning tool(s) used, along with information including:

(A) The version number of the planning tool;

(B) The name of the planning tool's developer;

(C) The granularity of the model (e.g., 3-arc-second square points); and

(D) Affirmation that the coverage model has been validated and calibrated at least one time using on the ground testing and/or other real-world measurements completed by the provider or its vendor.

(ii) The following base station information:

(A) Frequency band(s) used to provide the service being mapped;

(B) Information about whether and how carrier aggregation is used;

(C) The radio technologies used on each frequency band (e.g., 802.11ac-derived orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation (OFDM), proprietary OFDM, long-term evolution (LTE)); and

(D) The elevation above ground for each base station.

(E) The geographic coordinates.

(iii) The following terrain and clutter information:

(A) The name and vintage of the datasets used;

(B) The resolution of clutter data;

(C) A list of clutter categories used with a description of each; and

(D) The link budget and a description of the other parameters used in the propagation model, including predicted signal strength.

(iv) Information on the height and power values used for receivers/customer premises equipment (CPE) antennas in their modeling (height must be within a range of four to seven meters).

(3) Mobile providers must submit coverage maps based on the following specified parameters:

(i) For 3G services—a minimum expected user download speed of 200 kbps and user upload speed of 50 kbps at the cell edge; for 4G LTE services—a minimum expected user download speed of 5 Mbps and user upload speed of 1 Mbps at the cell edge; for 5G-NR services—a minimum expected user download speed of 7 Mbps and user upload speed of 1 Mbps, and a minimum expected user download speed of 35 Mbps and user upload speed of 3 Mbps at the cell edge.

(ii) For each of the mobile broadband technologies, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G-NR, and for mobile voice services, the provider's coverage maps must reflect coverage areas where users should expect to receive the minimum required download and upload speeds with cell edge coverage probability of not less than 90% and a cell loading of not less than 50%.

(iii) For each of the mobile broadband technologies, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G-NR, and for mobile voice services, the provider's coverage maps must account for terrain and clutter and use terrain and clutter data with a resolution of 100 meters or better. Each coverage map must have a resolution of 100 meters or better.

(iv) For each of the mobile broadband technologies, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G-NR, and for mobile voice services, the provider's coverage maps must be submitted in vector format.

(v) For each 4G LTE or 5G-NR propagation map that a provider submits, the provider also must submit a second set of maps showing Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) signal levels in dBm, as would be measured at the industry standard of 1.5 meters above ground level (AGL), from each active cell site. A second set of maps showing Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) signal levels for each 3G propagation map a provider submits is only required in areas where 3G is the only technology the provider offers. The RSSI and RSRP values should be provided in 10 dB increments or finer beginning with a maximum value of −50 dBm and continuing to −120 dBm.

(4) Mobile providers must disclose the following information regarding their radio network planning tools:

(i) The name of the planning tool;

(ii) The version number used to produce the map;

(iii) The name of the developer of the planning tool;

(iv) Affirmation that the coverage model has been validated and calibrated at least one time using drive test and/or other real-world measurements completed by the provider or its vendors, to include a brief summary of the process and date of calibration; and

(v) The propagation model or models used. If multiple models are used, the provider should include a brief description of the circumstances under which each model is deployed (e.g., model X is used in urban areas, while model Y is used in rural areas) and include any sites where conditions deviate; and

(vi) The granularity of the models used (e.g., 3-arc-second square points, bin sizes, and other parameters).

(5) Propagation maps submitted by providers must depict outdoor coverage, to include both on-street or pedestrian stationary usage, and in-vehicle mobile usage.

(6) Mobile providers must disclose all applicable link-budgets used to design their networks and provide service at the defined speeds, and all parameters and parameter values included in those link budgets, including the following information:

(i) A description of how the provider developed the link budget(s) and the rationale for using specific values in the link budget(s); and

(ii) The name of the creator, developer or supplier, as well as the vintage of the terrain and clutter datasets used, the specific resolution of the data, and a list of clutter categories used, a description of each clutter category, and a description of the propagation loss due to clutter for each.

(7) For each of the categories of data providers must disclose to the Commission, providers must submit reasonable parameter values and propagation models consistent with how they model their services when designing their networks. In no case may any provider omit link budget parameters or otherwise fail to account for constraints on their coverage projections.

(d) Providers shall include in each Digital Opportunity Data Collection filing a certification signed by a corporate officer of the provider that the officer has examined the information contained in the submission and that, to the best of the officer's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct. All providers also shall submit a certification of the accuracy of its submissions by a qualified engineer. The engineering certification shall state that the certified professional engineer or corporate engineering officer is employed by the provider and has direct knowledge of, or responsibility for, the generation of the provider's Digital Opportunity Data Collection filing. If a corporate officer is also an engineer and has the requisite knowledge required under the Broadband DATA Act, a provider may submit a single certification that fulfills both requirements. The certified professional engineer or corporate engineering officer shall certify that he or she has examined the information contained in the submission and that, to the best of the engineer's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct, and in accordance with the service provider's ordinary course of network design and engineering.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 18159, Apr. 7, 2021]

(a) The Commission shall protect the security, privacy, and confidentiality of non-public or competitively sensitive information submitted by entities or individuals, including information contained in the Fabric, the dataset supporting the Fabric, and availability data submitted pursuant to § 1.7004, by:

(1) Withholding from public inspection all data required to be kept confidential pursuant to § 0.457 of this chapter and all personally identifiable information submitted in connection with the information contained in the Fabric, the dataset supporting the Fabric, and availability data submitted pursuant to § 1.7004; and

(2) Subject to contractual or license restrictions, making public all other information received about the status of broadband internet access service availability at specific locations, including geographic coordinates and street addresses, whether a provider has reported availability at a location, and whether an entity or individual has disputed a report of broadband internet access service availability at such location.

(b) Providers may request that provider-specific subscription information in Digital Opportunity Data Act filings be treated as confidential and be withheld from public inspection by so indicating on the filing at the time that they submit such data.

(c) Providers seeking confidential treatment of any other data contained in their Digital Opportunity Data Collection filings must submit a request that the data be treated as confidential with the submission of their filing, along with their reasons for withholding the information from the public, pursuant to § 0.459 of this chapter.

(d) The Commission shall make all decisions regarding non-disclosure of provider-specific information.

(e) The Commission shall release the following information in Digital Opportunity Data Collection filings to the public, and providers may not request confidential treatment of such information:

(1) Provider-specific mobile deployment data;

(2) Data regarding minimum advertised or expected speed for mobile broadband internet access services; and

(3) Location information that is necessary to permit accurate broadband mapping, including as part of the crowdsourcing or challenge processes.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020]

(a) Audits. The Commission shall conduct regular audits of the information submitted by providers in their Digital Opportunity Data Collection filings. The audits:

(1) May be random, as determined by the Commission; or

(2) Can be required in cases where there may be patterns of filing incorrect information, as determined by the Commission.

(b) Crowdsourcing process. Entities or individuals may submit in the Commission's online portal specific information regarding the deployment and availability of broadband internet access service so that it may be used to verify and supplement information submitted by providers for potential inclusion in the coverage maps.

(1) Crowdsourced data filers shall provide:

(i) Contact information of the filer (e.g., name, address, phone number, and email);

(ii) The location that is the subject of the filing, including the street address and/or coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the location;

(iii) The name of the provider;

(iv) Any relevant details disputing the deployment and availability of broadband internet access service at the location; and

(v) A certification that to the best of the filer's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements in the filing are true and correct.

(2) On-the-ground crowdsourced data must include the metrics and meet the testing parameters described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, except that the data may include any combination of download speed and upload speed rather than both.

(3) The online portal shall notify a provider of a crowdsourced data filing against it, but a provider is not required to respond to a crowdsourced data filing.

(4) If, as a result of crowdsourced data and/or other available data, the Commission determines that a provider's coverage information is likely not accurate, then the provider shall be subject to a verification inquiry consistent with the mobile verification process described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(5) All information submitted as part of the crowdsourcing process shall be made public via the Commission's website, with the exception of personally identifiable information and any data required to be confidential under § 0.457 of this chapter.

(c) Mobile service verification process for mobile providers. Mobile service providers must submit either infrastructure information or on-the-ground test data in response to a request by Commission staff as part of its inquiry to independently verify the accuracy of the mobile provider's coverage propagation models and maps. In addition to submitting either on-the-ground data or infrastructure data, a provider may also submit data collected from transmitter monitoring software. The Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau may require the submission of additional data when necessary to complete a verification inquiry. A provider must submit its data, in the case of both infrastructure information and on-the-ground data, within 60 days of receiving a Commission staff request. Regarding on-the-ground data, a provider must submit evidence of network performance based on a sample of on-the-ground tests that is statistically appropriate for the area tested. A provider must verify coverage of a sampled area using the H3 geospatial indexing system at resolution 8. The on-the-ground tests will be evaluated to confirm, using a one-sided 95% statistical confidence interval, that the cell coverage is 90% or higher. In submitting data in response to a verification request, a provider must record at least two tests within each of the randomly selected hexagons where the time of the tests are at least four hours apart, irrespective of date, unless, for any sampled hexagon, the provider has and submits alongside its speed tests actual cell loading data for the cell(s) covering the hexagon sufficient to establish that median loading, measured in 15-minute intervals, did not exceed the modeled loading factor for the one-week period prior to the verification inquiry, in which case the provider is required to submit only a single test for the sampled hexagon. We will treat any tests within the sampled accessible point-hex that are outside the coverage area as valid in the case where tests were not recorded within the coverage area. If the required sampled point-hex continue to have missing tests, we will also consider tests that fall slightly outside the required point-hex but within the typical Global Positioning System (GPS) average user range error as valid when no tests are recorded within the point-hex. If the sampled point-hex still has missing tests, we would set those missing required speed tests as negative tests when performing the final adjudication. For in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle.

(1) When a mobile service provider chooses to demonstrate mobile broadband coverage availability by submitting on-the-ground data, the mobile service provider must provide valid on-the-ground tests within a Commission-identified statistically valid and unbiased sample of its network.

(i) On-the-ground test data must meet the following testing parameters:

(A) A minimum test length of 5 seconds and a maximum test length of 30 seconds. These test length parameters apply individually to download speed, upload speed, and round-trip latency measurements, and do not include ramp up time. The minimum test duration requirement will be relaxed once a download or upload test measurement has transferred at least 1,000 megabytes of data;

(B) Reporting test measurement results that have been averaged over the duration of the test (i.e., total bits received divided by total test time); and

(C) Conducted outdoors between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time; and

(ii) On-the-ground test data must include the following metrics for each test:

(A) Testing app name and version;

(B) Timestamp and duration of each test metric;

(C) Geographic coordinates (i.e., latitude/longitude) measured at the start and end of each test metric measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better, along with location accuracy;

(D) Consumer-grade device type(s), brand/model, and operating system used for the test;

(E) Name and identity of the service provider being tested;

(F) Location of test server (e.g., hostname or IP address);

(G) Signal strength, signal quality, unique identifier, and radiofrequency metrics of each serving cell, where available;

(H) Download speed;

(I) Upload speed;

(J) Round-trip latency;

(K) Whether the test was taken in an in-vehicle mobile or outdoor, pedestrian stationary environment;

(L) For an in-vehicle test, the speed the vehicle was traveling when the test was taken, where available;

(M) An indication of whether the test failed to establish a connection with a mobile network at the time and place it was initiated;

(N) The network technology (e.g., 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G-NR (New Radio)) and spectrum bands used for the test; and

(O) All other metrics required per the most recent specification for mobile test data adopted by Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553.

(2) When a mobile service provider chooses to demonstrate mobile broadband coverage availability by submitting infrastructure data, the mobile service provider must submit such data for all cell sites and antennas that serve or interfere with the targeted area.

(i) Infrastructure data must include the following information for each cell site that the provider uses to provide service for the area subject to the verification inquiry:

(A) The latitude and longitude of the cell site measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better;

(B) The cell and site ID number for each cell site;

(C) The ground elevation above mean sea level (AMSL) of the site (in meters);

(D) Frequency band(s) used to provide service for each site being mapped including channel bandwidth (in megahertz);

(E) Radio technologies used on each band for each site;

(F) Capacity (megabits per second (Mbps)) and type of backhaul used at each cell site;

(G) Number of sectors at each cell site;

(H) Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP, in decibel-milliwatts (dBm)) of the sector at the time the mobile provider creates its map of the coverage data;

(I) Geographic coordinates of each transmitter site measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better;

(J) Per site classification (e.g., urban, suburban, or rural);

(K) Elevation above ground level for each base station antenna and other transmit antenna specifications (i.e., the make and model, beamwidth (in degrees), radiation pattern, and orientation (azimuth and any electrical and/or mechanical down-tilt in degrees) at each cell site);

(L) Operate transmit power of the radio equipment at each cell site;

(M) Throughput and associated required signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio;

(N) Cell loading distribution;

(O) Areas enabled with carrier aggregation and a list of band combinations; and

(P) Any additional parameters and fields that are listed in the most-recent specifications for wireless infrastructure data released by the Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553.

(ii) [Reserved]

(d) Fixed service challenge process. State, local, and Tribal governmental entities, consumers, and other entities or individuals may submit data in an online portal to challenge the accuracy of the coverage maps at a particular location, any information submitted by a provider regarding the availability of broadband internet access service, or the Fabric.

(1) Challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Name and contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email);

(ii) The street address or geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) of the location(s) at which broadband internet access service coverage is being challenged;

(iii) Name of provider whose reported coverage information is being challenged;

(iv) Category of dispute, selected from pre-established options on the portal;

(v) For consumers challenging availability data or the coverage maps, evidence and details of a request for service (or attempted request for service), including the date, method, and content of the request and details of the response from the provider, or evidence showing no availability at the disputed location (e.g., screen shot, emails);

(vi) For government or other entities, evidence and details about the dispute, including: (A) The challenger's methodology, (B) the basis for determinations underlying the challenge, and (C) communications with provider, if any, and outcome;

(vii) For challengers disputing locations in the Broadband Location Fabric, details and evidence about the disputed location;

(viii) For customer or potential customer availability or coverage map challengers, a representation that the challenger resides or does business at the location of the dispute or is authorized to request service there; and

(ix) A certification from an individual or an authorized officer or signatory of a challenger that the person examined the information contained in the challenge and that, to the best of the person's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the challenge are true and correct.

(2) The online portal shall alert a provider if there has been a challenge with all required elements submitted against it.

(3) For availability and coverage map challenges, within 60 days of receiving an alert, a provider shall reply in the portal by:

(i) Accepting the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, in which case the provider shall submit a correction for the challenged location in the online portal within 30 days of its portal reply; or

(ii) Denying the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, in which the case the provider shall provide evidence, in the online portal and to the challenger, that the provider serves (or could and is willing to serve) the challenged location. If the provider denies the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, then the provider and the challenger shall have 60 days after the provider submits its reply to attempt to resolve the challenge.

(4) A provider's failure to respond to a challenge to its reported coverage data within the applicable timeframes shall result in a finding against the provider, resulting in mandatory corrections to the provider's Digital Opportunity Data Collection information to conform to the challenge. Providers shall submit any such corrections within 30 days of the missed reply deadline or the Commission will make the corrections on its own and incorporate such change into the coverage maps.

(5) Once a challenge containing all the required elements is submitted in the online portal, the location shall be identified on the coverage maps as “in dispute/pending resolution.”

(6) If the parties are unable to reach consensus within 60 days after submission of the provider's reply in the portal, then the affected provider shall report the status of efforts to resolve the challenge in the online portal, after which the Commission, will review the evidence and make a determination, either:

(i) In favor of the challenger, in which case the provider shall update its Digital Opportunity Data Collection information within 30 days of the decision; or

(ii) In favor of the provider, in which case the location will no longer be subject to the “in dispute/pending resolution” designation on the coverage maps.

(7) In consumer challenges to availability and coverage map data, a consumer's challenge must make an initial showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a provider's data are inaccurate; a provider must then provide evidence showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that its reported data are accurate.

(8) In challenges to availability and coverage data by governmental (State, local, Tribal), or other entities, the challenger must make a detailed, clear and methodologically sound showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that a provider's data are inaccurate.

(9) For challenges to the Fabric, after a challenge has been filed containing the required information in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the provider will receive a notice of the challenge from the online portal and can respond to the challenge in the online portal, but is not required to do so, and the Commission shall seek to resolve such challenges within 60 days of receiving the challenge filing in the online portal.

(10) Government entities or other entities may file challenges at multiple locations in a single challenge, but each challenge must contain all of the requirements set forth in (d)(1) of this section.

(11) The Commission shall make public information about the location that is the subject of the challenge (including the street address and/or coordinates (latitude and longitude)), the name of the provider, and any relevant details concerning the basis for the challenge.

(e) Mobile service challenge process for consumers. Consumers may submit data to challenge the accuracy of mobile broadband coverage maps. Consumers may challenge mobile coverage data based on lack of service or on poor service quality such as slow delivered user speed.

(1) Consumer challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Name, email address, and mobile phone number of the device on which the speed test was conducted;

(ii) Speed test data. Consumers must use a speed test app that has been designated by the Office of Engineering and Technology, in consultation with the Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, for use in the challenge process. Consumer challenges must include on-the-ground test data that meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, and must also report the timestamp that test measurement data were transmitted to the app developer's servers, as well as the source IP address and port of the device, as measured by the server;

(iii) A certification that the challenger is a subscriber or authorized user of the provider being challenged;

(iv) A certification that the speed test measurements were taken outdoors; and

(v) A certification that, to the best of the person's actual knowledge, information, and belief, the handset and the speed test application are in ordinary working order and all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct.

(2) Consumer speed tests will be used to create a cognizable challenge based on the following criteria:

(i) The smallest challengeable hexagonal cell is a hexagon at resolution 8 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system.

(ii) The download and upload components of a speed test will be evaluated separately.

(iii) A “positive” component is one that records speeds meeting or exceeding the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred (e.g., a positive download component would show speeds of at least 5 Mbps for 4G LTE, and a positive upload component would show speeds of at least 1 Mbps for 4G LTE). A “negative” component is one that records speeds that fail to meet the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred.

(iv) A point-hex shall be defined as one of the seven hex-9s from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system nested within a hex-8.

(v) A point-hex shall be defined as accessible where at least 50% of the area of the point-hex overlaps with the provider's reported coverage data and the point-hex overlaps with any primary, secondary, or local road in the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

(vi) A hex-8 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system shall be classified as challenged if the following three thresholds are met in the hex-8 for either the download or upload components.

(A) Geographic threshold. When there are at least four accessible point-hexes within the hex-8, each must contain two of the same test components (download or upload), one of which is a negative test. The threshold must be met for one component entirely, meaning that a challenge may contain either two upload components per point-hex, one of which is negative, or two download components per point-hex, one of which is negative. The minimum number of point-hexes in which tests must be recorded must be equal to the number of accessible point-hexes or four, whichever number is lower. If there are no accessible point-hexes within a hex-8, the geographic threshold shall not need to be met;

(B) Temporal threshold. A hex-8 cell must include a set of two negative test components of the same type with a time-of-day difference of at least four hours from another set of two negative test components of the same type, regardless of the date of the tests; and

(C) Testing threshold. At least five speed test components of the same type within a hex-8 cell are negative when a challenger has submitted 20 or fewer test components of that type.

(1) When challengers have submitted more than 20 test components of the same type, the following minimum percentage of the total number of test components of that type in the cell must be negative:

(i) When challengers have submitted 21-29 test components, at least 24% must be negative;

(ii) When challengers have submitted 30-45 test components, at least 22% must be negative;

(iii) When challengers have submitted 46-60 test components, at least 20% must be negative;

(iv) When challengers have submitted 61-70 test components, at least 18% must be negative;

(v) When challengers have submitted 71-99 test components, at least 17% must be negative; and

(vi) When challengers have submitted 100 or more test components, at least 16% must be negative.

(2) In a hex-8 with four or more accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 50% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only towards 50% of the threshold. In a hex-8 where there are only three accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 75% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only towards 75% of the threshold.

(3) Once the percentage of negative components of the same type recorded meets the minimum negative percentage required (or for a sample of fewer than 21 components, once there are at least five negative component submitted), no additional tests are required so long as both the geographic and temporal thresholds for a hex-8 have been met.

(vii) A larger, “parent” hexagon (at resolutions 7 or 6) shall be considered challenged if at least four of the child hexagons within such a “parent” hexagon are considered challenged.

(viii) Mobile service providers shall be notified of all cognizable challenges to their mobile broadband coverage maps at the end of each month. Challengers shall be notified when a mobile provider responds to the challenge. Mobile service providers and challengers both shall be notified monthly of the status of challenged areas and parties will be able to see a map of the challenged area and a notification about whether or not a challenge has been successfully rebutted, whether a challenge was successful, and if a challenged area was restored based on insufficient evidence to sustain a challenge.

(3) For areas with a cognizable challenge, providers either must submit a rebuttal to the challenge within a 60-day period of being notified of the challenge or concede and have the challenged area identified on the mobile coverage map as an area that lacks sufficient service.

(4) To dispute a challenge, a mobile service provider must submit on-the-ground test data that meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, (for in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle), or infrastructure data that meets the requirements in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section to verify its coverage map(s) in the challenged area. To the extent that a mobile service provider believes it would be helpful to the Commission in resolving a challenge, it may choose to submit other data in addition to the data initially required, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing (to the extent such data are not the primary option chosen by the provider) or other types of data such as data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software, or spectrum band-specific coverage maps. Such other data must be submitted at the same time as the primary on-the-ground testing or infrastructure rebuttal data submitted by the provider. If needed to ensure an adequate review, the Office of Economics and Analytics may also require that the provider submit other data in addition to the data initially submitted, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing data (to the extent not the option initially chosen by the provider) or data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software (to the extent available in the provider's network). If a mobile provider is not able to demonstrate sufficient coverage in a challenged hexagon, the mobile provider must revise its coverage maps to reflect the lack of coverage in such areas.

(i) A “positive” component is one that records speeds meeting or exceeding the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred (e.g., a positive download component would show speeds of at least 5 Mbps for 4G LTE, and a positive upload component would show speeds of at least 1 Mbps for 4G LTE). A “negative” component is one that records speeds that fail to meet the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred.

(ii) A point-hex shall be defined as one of the seven nested hexagons at resolution 9 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system of a resolution 8 hexagon.

(iii) A point-hex shall be defined as accessible where at least 50% of the area of the point-hex overlaps with the provider's reported coverage data and the point-hex overlaps with any primary, secondary, or local road in the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

(iv) A mobile service provider that chooses to rebut a challenge to their mobile broadband coverage maps with on-the-ground speed test data must confirm that a challenged area has sufficient coverage using speed tests that were conducted during the 12 months prior to submitting a rebuttal. A provider may confirm coverage in any hex-8 cell within the challenged area. This includes any hex-8 cell that is challenged, and also any non-challenged hex-8 cell that is a child of a challenged hex-7 or hex-6 cell. Confirming non-challenged hex-8 cells can be used to confirm the challenged hex-7 or hex-6 cell. To confirm a hex-8 cell, a provider must submit on-the ground speed test data that meets the following criteria for both upload and download components:

(A) Geographic threshold. Two download components, at least one of which is a positive test, and two upload components, at least one of which is a positive test, are recorded within a minimum number of point-hexes within the challenged area, where the minimum number of point-hexes in which tests must be recorded must be equal to the number of accessible point-hexes or four, whichever number is lower. If there are no accessible point-hexes within a hex-8, the geographic threshold shall not need to be met.

(B) Temporal threshold. A hex-8 cell will need to include a set of five positive test components of the same type with a time-of-day difference of at least four hours from another set of five positive test components of the same type, regardless of the date of the test.

(C) Testing threshold. At least 17 positive test components of the same type within a hex-8 cell in the challenged area when the provider has submitted 20 or fewer test components of that type. When the provider has submitted more than 20 test components of the same type, a certain minimum percentage of the total number of test components of that type in the cell must be positive:

(1) When a provider has submitted 21-34 test components, at least 82% must be positive;

(2) When a provider has submitted 35-49 test components, at least 84% must be positive;

(3) When a provider has submitted 50-70 test components, at least 86% must be positive;

(4) When a provider has submitted 71-99 test components, at least 87% must be positive;

(5) When a provider has submitted 100 or more test components, at least 88% must be positive; and

(6) In a hex-8 with four or more accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 50% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only toward 50% of the threshold. In a hex-8 where there are only three accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 75% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only toward 75% of the threshold.

(D) Use of FCC Speed Test App or other software. Using a mobile device running either a Commission-developed app (e.g., the FCC Speed Test app), another speed test app approved by OET to submit challenges, or other software provided that the software adopts the test methodology and collects the metrics that approved apps must perform for consumer challenges and that government and third-party entity challenger speed test data must contain (for in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle):

(1) Providers must submit a complete description of the methodologies used to collect their data; and

(2) Providers must substantiate their data through the certification of a qualified engineer or official.

(E) Use of an appropriate device. Using a device that is able to interface with drive test software and/or runs on the Android operating system.

(v) A mobile service provider that chooses to rebut a challenge to their mobile broadband coverage maps with infrastructure data on their own may only do so in order to identify invalid, or non-representative, speed tests within the challenger speed test data. The mobile service provider must submit the same data as required when a mobile provider submits infrastructure information in response to a Commission verification request, including information on the cell sites and antennas used to provide service in the challenged area. A provider may submit only infrastructure data to rebut a challenge if:

(A) Extenuating circumstances at the time and location of a given test (e.g., maintenance or temporary outage at the cell site) caused service to be abnormal. In such cases, a provider must submit coverage or footprint data for the site or sectors that were affected and information about the outage, such as bands affected, duration, and whether the outage was reported to the FCC's Network Outage Reporting System (NORS), along with a certification about the submission's accuracy;

(B) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests are not capable of using or connecting to the radio technology or spectrum band(s) that the provider models for service in the challenged area. In such cases, a provider must submit band-specific coverage footprints and information about which specific device(s) lack the technology or band;

(C) The challenge speed tests were taken during an uncommon special event (e.g., professional sporting event) that increased traffic on the network;

(D)(1) The challenge speed tests were taken during a period where cell loading was abnormally higher than the modeled cell loading factor. In such cases, providers must submit cell loading data that both:

(i) Establish that the cell loading for the primary cell(s) at the time of the test was abnormally higher than modeled; and

(ii) Include cell loading data for a one-week period before and/or after the provider was notified of the challenge showing as a baseline that the median loading for the primary cell(s) was not greater than the modeled value.

(2) If a high number of challenges show persistent over-loading, staff may initiate a verification inquiry to investigate whether mobile providers have submitted coverage maps based on an accurate assumption of cell loading in a particular area;

(E) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests used a data plan that could result in slower service. In such cases, a provider must submit information about which specific device(s) used in the testing were using such a data plan and information showing that the provider's network did, in fact, slow the device at the time of the test; or

(F) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests was either roaming or was used by the customer of a mobile virtual network operator. In such circumstances, providers must identify which specific device(s) used in the testing were either roaming at the time or used by the customer of a mobile virtual network operator based upon their records.

(vi) If the Commission determines, based on the infrastructure data submitted by providers, that challenge speed tests are invalid, such challenge speed tests shall be ruled void, and the Commission shall recalculate the challenged hexagons after removing any invalidated challenger speed tests and consider any challenged hexagons that no longer meet the challenge creation threshold to be restored to their status before the challenge was submitted.

(5) If a mobile service provider that has failed to rebut a challenge subsequently takes remedial action to improve coverage at the location of the challenge, the provider must notify the Commission of the actions it has taken to improve its coverage and provide either on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its improved coverage.

(6) After a challenged provider submits all responses and Commission staff determines the result of a challenge and any subsequent rebuttal has been determined:

(i) In such cases where a mobile service provider successfully rebuts a challenge, the area confirmed to have coverage shall be ineligible for challenge until the next biannual broadband availability data filing six months after the later of either the end of the 60-day response period or the resolution of the challenge.

(ii) A challenged area may be restored to an unchallenged state, if, as a result of data submitted by the provider, there is no longer sufficient evidence to sustain the challenge to that area, but the provider's data fall short of confirming the area. A restored hexagon would be subject to challenge at any time in the future as challengers submit new speed test data.

(iii) In cases where a mobile service provider concedes or loses a challenge, the provider must file, within 30 days, geospatial data depicting the challenged area that has been shown to lack sufficient service. Such data will constitute a correction layer to the provider's original propagation model-based coverage map, and Commission staff will use this layer to update the broadband coverage map. In addition, to the extent that a provider does not later improve coverage for the relevant technology in an area where it conceded or lost a challenge, it must include this correction layer in its subsequent filings to indicate the areas shown to lack service.

(7) Commission staff are permitted to consider other relevant data to support a mobile service provider's rebuttal of challenges, including on-the-ground data or infrastructure data (to the extent such data are not the primary rebuttal option submitted by the mobile service provider). The Office of Economics and Analytics will review such data when voluntarily submitted by providers in response to challenges, and if it concludes that any of the data sources are sufficiently reliable, it will specify appropriate standards and specifications for each type of data and will issue a public notice adding the data source to the alternatives available to providers to rebut a consumer challenge.

(f) Mobile service challenge process for State, local, and Tribal governmental entities; and other entities or individuals. State, local, and Tribal governmental entities and other entities or individuals may submit data to challenge accuracy of mobile broadband coverage maps. They may challenge mobile coverage data based on lack of service or poor service quality such as slow delivered user speed.

(1) State, local, and Tribal governmental entities and other entity or individual challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Government and other entity challengers may use their own software and hardware to collect data for the challenge process. When they submit their data the data must meet the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, except that government and other entity challengers may submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of the device used to conduct a speed test for use in the challenge process instead of the timestamp that test measurement data were transmitted to the app developer's servers, as well as the source IP address and port of the device, as measured by the server;

(ii) A complete description of the methodology(ies) used to collect their data;

(iii) Challengers must substantiate their data through the certification of a qualified engineer or official; and

(iv) If the test was taken in an in-vehicle mobile environment, whether the test was conducted with the antenna outside of the vehicle.

(2) Challengers must conduct speed tests using a device advertised by the challenged service provider as compatible with its network and must take all speed tests outdoors. Challengers must also use a device that is able to interface with drive test software and/or runs on the Android operating system.

(3) For a challenge to be considered a cognizable challenge, thus requiring a mobile service provider response, the challenge must meet the same thresholds specified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(4) For areas with a cognizable challenge, providers either must submit a rebuttal to the challenge within a 60-day period of being notified of the challenge or concede and have the challenged area identified on the mobile coverage map as an area that lacks sufficient service.

(5) To dispute a challenge, a mobile service provider must submit on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its coverage map(s) in the challenged area based on the methodology set forth in paragraph (e)(4) of this section. To the extent that a service provider believes it would be helpful to the Commission in resolving a challenge, it may choose to submit other data in addition to the data initially required, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing (to the extent such data are not the primary option chosen by the provider) or other types of data such as data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software or spectrum band-specific coverage maps. Such other data must be submitted at the same time as the primary on-the-ground testing or infrastructure rebuttal data submitted by the provider. If needed to ensure an adequate review, the Office of Economics and Analytics may also require that the provider submit other data in addition to the data initially submitted, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing data (to the extent not the option initially chosen by the provider) or data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software (to the extent available in the provider's network).

(6) If a provider that has failed to rebut a challenge subsequently takes remedial action to improve coverage at the location of the challenge, the provider must notify the Commission of the actions it has taken to improve its coverage and provide either on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its improved coverage.

(7) In cases where a mobile service provider concedes or loses a challenge, the provider must file, within 30 days, geospatial data depicting the challenged area that has been shown to lack service. Such data will constitute a correction layer to the provider's original propagation model-based coverage map, and Commission staff will use this layer to update the broadband coverage map. In addition, to the extent that a provider does not later improve coverage for the relevant technology in an area where it conceded or lost a challenge, it must include this correction layer in its subsequent Digital Opportunity Data Collection filings to indicate the areas shown to lack service.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 18160, Apr. 7, 2021; 87 FR 21509, Apr. 11, 2022]

(a) The Commission shall create the Fabric, a common dataset of all locations in the United States where fixed broadband internet access service can be installed. The Fabric shall:

(1) Contain geocoded information for each location where fixed broadband internet access service can be installed;

(2) Serve as the foundation upon which all data relating to the availability of fixed broadband internet access service collected pursuant to the Digital Opportunity Data Collection shall be overlaid;

(3) Be compatible with commonly used Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software; and

(4) Be updated every 6 months by the Commission.

(b) The Commission shall prioritize implementing the Fabric for rural and insular areas of the United States.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020]

(a) After consultation with the Federal Geographic Data Committee, the Commission shall use the availability and quality of service data submitted by providers in the Digital Opportunity Data Collection to create:

(1) The Broadband Map, which shall depict areas of the country that remain unserved by providers and depict the extent of availability of broadband internet access service;

(2) A map that depicts the availability of fixed broadband internet access service; and

(3) A map that depicts the availability of mobile broadband internet access service.

(b) The Commission shall use the maps created in paragraph (a) of this section to determine areas where broadband internet access service is and is not available and when making any funding award for broadband internet access service deployment for residential and mobile customers.

(c) Based on the most recent Digital Opportunity Data Collection information collected from providers, the Commission shall update the maps created in paragraph (a) of this section at least biannually using the data collected from providers.

(d)(1) The Commission shall collect verified data for use in the coverage maps from:

(i) State, local, and Tribal entities primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband internet access service coverage in their areas;

(ii) Third parties, if the Commission determines it is in the public interest to use their data in the development of the coverage maps or the verification of data submitted by providers; and

(iii) Other Federal agencies.

(2) To the extent government entities or third parties choose to file verified data, they must follow the same filing process as providers submitting their broadband internet access service data in the data portal. Government entities and third parties that file on-the-ground test data must submit such data using the same metrics and testing parameters the Commission requires of mobile service providers when responding to a Commission request to verify mobile providers' broadband network coverage with on-the-ground data (see § 1.7006(c)(1)).

(3) Providers shall review the verified data submitted by governments and third parties in the online portal, work with the submitter to resolve any coverage discrepancies, make any corrections they deem necessary based on such review, and submit any updated data to the Commission within 60 days of the date that the provider is notified that the data has been submitted in the online portal by the government entity or third party.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 18162, Apr. 7, 2021; 87 FR 21514, Apr. 11, 2022]

(a) It shall be unlawful for an entity or individual to willfully and knowingly, or recklessly, submit information or data as part of the Digital Opportunity Data Collection that is materially inaccurate or incomplete with respect to the availability or the quality of broadband internet access service. Such action may lead to enforcement action and/or penalties as set forth in the Communications Act and other applicable laws.

(b) Failure to make the Digital Opportunity Data Collection filing in accordance with the Commission's rules and the instructions to the Digital Opportunity Data Collection may lead to enforcement action pursuant to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and any other applicable law.

(c) For purposes of this section, “materially inaccurate or incomplete” means a submission that contains omissions or incomplete or inaccurate information that the Commission finds has a substantial impact on its collection and use of the data collected in order to comply with the requirements of 47 U.S.C. 641-646.

(d) Providers must file corrected data when they discover inaccuracy, omission, or significant reporting error in the original data that they submitted, whether through self-discovery, the crowdsource process, the challenge process, the Commission verification process, or otherwise.

(1) Providers must file corrections within 30 days of their discovery of incorrect or incomplete data; and

(2) The corrected filings must be accompanied by the same types of certifications that accompany the original filings.

[86 FR 18162, Apr. 7, 2021]

The Office of International Affairs, Space Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, and Office of Economics and Analytics may update the specific format of data to be submitted pursuant to the Digital Opportunity Data Collection to reflect changes over time in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other data storage and processing functionalities and may implement any technical improvements or other clarifications to the filing mechanism and forms.

[88 FR 21436, Apr. 10, 2023]