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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Congressional Hearing on Improving National Broadband Maps

Original title: LEGISLATING TO CONNECT AMERICA: IMPROVING THE NATION'S BROADBAND MAPS

January 1, 2021

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The Frame

What this does

The accuracy of these maps determines where federal funding for high-speed internet expansion is directed, directly impacting which communities receive infrastructure investment.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Rural broadband providers

These providers are subject to new data reporting requirements proposed in the legislation.

Internet service providers

The legislation mandates changes to how these companies report their service coverage areas.

Residents in unserved areas

Improved mapping accuracy may change the allocation of federal infrastructure funding for their communities.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing on September 11, 2019, to discuss legislative proposals aimed at improving the accuracy of national internet availability maps. The session featured testimony from industry representatives and policy experts regarding several bills designed to refine how broadband data is collected and reported.

Key Facts

  • The hearing was held on September 11, 2019, by the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
  • The primary focus was the evaluation of five specific legislative proposals: H.R. 4229, H.R. 4128, H.R. 4227, H.R. 2643, and H.R. 3162.
  • The hearing included testimony from six witnesses representing rural broadband providers, cable associations, cellular carriers, public interest groups, and data analytics firms.
  • The discussion centered on the technical challenges of mapping broadband availability and the impact of data accuracy on federal funding allocation.

Why It Matters

The accuracy of these maps determines where federal funding for high-speed internet expansion is directed, directly impacting which communities receive infrastructure investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are broadband maps considered inaccurate?
The hearing discussed challenges in data collection methods that often lead to overstatements of availability in certain geographic areas.
What is the goal of the proposed legislation?
The bills aim to improve the accuracy of data reported by internet service providers to ensure federal resources are targeted effectively.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Data Accuracy

The hearing marks a coordinated legislative effort to overhaul broadband mapping standards across multiple bills.

Connected Entities

organizationFree PressRepresented by witness Dana J. FlobergMap →
personRobert E. LattaRanking Member of the SubcommitteeMap →
organizationNCTA-The Internet and Television AssociationRepresented by witness James W. AsseyMap →
organizationCostQuest AssociatesRepresented by witness James W. StegemanMap →
organizationUSTelecomRepresented by witness Jonathan SpalterMap →
organizationNTCA-The Rural Broadband AssociationRepresented by witness Shirley BloomfieldMap →
organizationUnited States Cellular CorporationRepresented by witness Grant B. SpellmeyerMap →
personMike DoyleChairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and TechnologyMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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