FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable Tim Walberg U.S. House of Representatives 2266 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Walberg: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, t jitV.Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable Jack Bergman U.S. House of Representatives 414 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Bergman: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, jit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable Paul Mitchell U.S. House of Representatives 211 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Mitchell: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, / :jitV.Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable John Moolenaar U.S. House of Representatives 117 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Moolenaar: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, (JkiitV. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable Bill Huizenga U.S. House of Representatives 2232 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Huizenga: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN May 23, 2019 The Honorable Elissa Slotkin U.S. House of Representatives 1531 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congresswoman Slotkin: Thank you for your letter regarding broadband mapping. Closing the digital divide is my top priority. I have seen for myself in 45 states, including Michigan, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands what affordable high-speed Internet access can do for a community for its families, its schools, its hospitals, its farms, its businesses as well as the impact of its absence. I agree that using updated and accurate broadband deployment data is critical to bridging the digital divide. We need to understand where broadband is available and where it is not to target our efforts and direct funding to areas that are most in needed. That is why the Commission two basic reforms to the collection of broadband data when I came into office. First, we initiated a new data collection for mobile broadband coverage as part of Phase II of the Mobility fund (which included a robust challenge process). Second, we began a top-to-bottom review of the Form 477 process to ensure that broadband data was more accurate, granular, and ultimately useful to the Commission and the public. In your letter, you ask the Commission seriously consider verifications mechanisms, specifically a challenge process to improve the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases. I believe a public feedback mechanism could improve the Commission s broadband coverage maps and Form 477 data. Indeed, as you may know, the Commission s Speed Test App is one way that consumers can currently participate in collecting data about broadband deployment, and it has proven to be a useful tool for assessing service availability. I ve asked Commission staff to look into other ways to collect and use accurate data from many sources including consumers themselves to assemble a more reliable map. We are interested in developing methods for the submission of reliable, consumer-driven data to better inform the Commission s decision making in this area. We would be happy to receive any input you or your staff might have on how to establish and implement such methods. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views are very important and will be entered into the record of the proceeding and considered as part of the Commission s review. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, Pai