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The Accurate Broadband Data Alliance, which involves dozens of telecommunication companies, claims that overreported internet service availability calls into question the accuracy of the National Broadband Map released by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Overreported internet service coverage data has produced irregularities in the FCC’s broadband map, according to recent comments sent to the FCC from the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance, which called out one carrier by name.
The comments, delivered to the FCC on Feb. 19, state that “significant errors exist throughout the National Broadband Map,” which is available on the FCC’s website.
“A number of carriers, including LTD Broadband/GigFire LLC and others, continue to overreport internet service availability, particularly in relation to fixed wireless network capabilities and reach,” the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance’s comments read. “These errors and irregularities in the map will hinder and, in many cases, prevent deployment of essential broadband services by redirecting funds away from areas truly lacking sufficient broadband.”
According to citations included with the provided comments, the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance claimed that LTD Broadband LLC refiled all of its locations under GigFire LLC in 2023.
The Accurate Broadband Data Alliance’s comments say the move resulted in “rendering challenges submitted against LTD locations effectively moot and requiring a duplication of (FCC) and challenging providers’ efforts to re-challenge all locations again under GigFire.”
The organization’s comments claimed that “LTD Broadband/GigFire LLC has responded to submitted challenges with accusations that (Accurate Broadband Data Alliance) member companies fabricated screenshots with an intent to deceive the FCC.”
“The challenging provider is not afforded an opportunity to reply or provide accurate data to the FCC prior to its assessment and ruling on the bulk challenge,” the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance’s Feb. 19 comments to the FCC stated. “This process limitation is extremely inequitable and greatly hinders the (FCC’s) ability to make an informed determination, ultimately leading to missed opportunities to rectify the map.”
The Accurate Broadband Data Alliance pointed to an instance in which South Dakota-based Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative submitted a challenge against 1,300 locations.
“LTD Broadband/GigFire LLC failed to contact ITC during the specified interaction phase of the challenge process, then falsely stated in its response to the commission that ITC provided no response,” the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance’s comments stated. “ITC had no ability to inform the Commission that no contact, attempted or otherwise, was received from LTD Broadband/GigFire LLC.”
On the company’s website, GigFire LLC claims to cover “roughly 60,000 square miles,” with coverage areas in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
The Accurate Broadband Data Alliance’s Feb. 19 comments say GigFire LLC “was not registered to do business in Minnesota, South Dakota, or Iowa until September 21, 2023. However, in its BDC filings GigFire LLC claims to have provided broadband service prior to this registration date.”
In the conclusive comments offered by the alliance of companies, the organization applauded the FCC for efforts to achieve more accurate data.
“There is still work to be done, and with the use of the National Broadband Map purporting to reach across numerous grant programs, high-cost fund deployment tracking, and contribution reform efforts, time is of the essence to correct and stabilize the data in order to best use these funds to reach consumers in high cost areas,” the document stated. “Updating the challenge process itself can provide some improvements to the accuracy; however, inserting more accountability and enforcement factors would provide exponential returns in the map integrity.”
A full list of member companies associated with the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance is available as Appendix A in the organization’s comments submitted to the FCC, which can be viewed here.
