Advocating for Accurate Broadband Data & Pricing Information. Accurate data that identifies where broadband access is or is not available is central to not only bolstering applications for broadband funding, but also to understanding the unique challenges different parts of the country experience with expanding broadband access. For instance, residents in states with largely rural areas and difficult terrain may be considered “served” under the FCC’s map even though the provider that serves that area may charge exorbitant fees to initiate a connection. In other communities, affordability barriers or digital literacy may be a persistent obstacle. Given that local officials are better able to identify barriers to access and adoption, NCC urges policymakers to engage with local governments in order to collect information rather than relying on broad assumptions about deployment.  

Price remains a major barrier to adoption. Broadband mapping is incomplete without determining whether those connections are affordable. Now that broadband access is indispensable for working, learning, obtaining healthcare and access to government services, local officials are working to understand how affordability interferes with broadband adoption. 

Long before the pandemic, NCC helped policymakers at all levels of government to understand why internet access has shifted from being a luxury to a necessity. Our publications illustrate that when robust broadband connections are unaffordable, under-resourced households and communities are put further at a disadvantage.