South Dakota's Hill Delegation Urges FCC to Fix Broadband Maps
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune (R) led a letter with the two other members of South Dakota's congressional delegation Thursday urging the FCC to improve the accuracy of its broadband coverage data. The issue has repeatedly drawn the ire…
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of lawmakers, most recently during a Tuesday Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee hearing on FY 2020 budget requests (see 1905070072). “Broadband connectivity provides opportunities for advancements in health care, education, and economic development,” Thune and fellow Republicans Sen. Mike Rounds and Rep. Dusty Johnson wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “It is critical that the FCC take swift action to update its broadband data and mapping to ensure inaccurate information will not result in a denial of access to fixed or mobile broadband. A validated set of data based upon standardized methods of granular reporting will be essential to ensuring that universal service is available throughout rural America.” The agency didn't comment. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., led filing last week of the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act. S-1294 would direct the FCC, NTIA and Agriculture Department to sign a memorandum of understanding to coordinate on broadband funding, including considering “basing the distribution of funds for broadband deployment … on standardized” broadband coverage data (see 1905020058).