STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN Re: Modernizing the FCC Form 477 Data Program, WC Docket No. 11-10 A visit to the National Broadband Map’s website, would lead an observer to conclude that all parts of Alexandria, Virginia have a choice between two fixed providers both providing over 10 Mbps service in their residential communities. Yet, the evidence suggests that this is far from accurate. That same map also reports, that there is a provider offering residential gigabit service to some parts of that city. Once again, those promises of service offerings, do not equal the reality of today. And to top it off, the dataset containing these faulty conclusions . . . has not been updated for more than two years. In short, the Commission’s data on broadband availability, does not accurately reflect the realities on the ground. Now, I have heard from consumers, small businesses, state and local government officials, Tribal leaders, and members of Congress, who have expressed significant frustration with the accuracy of our broadband coverage data. Indeed, just last month I heard from frustrated county commissioners and consumers in Appalachia who told me that despite “what those maps in Washington say, we are not connected.” So, I am pleased to be able to say, that this item contains my request to seek comment on rectifying that problem by feeding more granular Form 477 data into the National Broadband Map. For the past year, I have spoken repeatedly about the need to update Form 477, in addition to reinvigorating the National Broadband Map. Now is the time to do so. We updated our Form 477 data collection, while I was Acting Chair, in order to make it easier on industry and more effective for the Commission by giving us the data we need, to craft sound policy. Today, we iterate on that by seeking comment on how to further improve Form 477, to better enable policy and serve the American consumer. We seek comment on how to improve the accuracy of mobile and fixed broadband data, as well as potential ways to streamline and improve data collection. I am hopeful that these efforts, will provide the means to make more granular data available to the public, while remaining cognizant of both Commission and provider resources. By proposing to make minimum advertised mobile broadband speeds, national subscriber counts, and other disaggregated broadband data available to consumers, we take several positive steps forward. New data, if made publicly available, could be used in innovative ways to provide immense public benefits, such as to improve our Connect2Health Map. It could also be fed into mapping initiatives across this nation, to improve education, health, and public safety. The opportunities are endless, if we collect the necessary data, have accurate data, and use that data in the right way. My thanks to the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and others, for your work to improve the data collection process, because we base so many of our significant policy decisions, on the information we receive from those filers. With more accurate data, we will be able to better target underserved and unserved communities and ensure that the rich benefits of broadband, reach all Americans.