The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has voted to adopt new rules, through a Report and Order, to improve the collection and mapping of broadband availability through the Digital Opportunity Data Collection (DODC). The new rules will help better identify broadband connectivity gaps and help the Commission close the digital divide. Many of these new rules implement key provisions of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, such as requiring fixed and mobile providers to submit standardized broadband availability maps. The Commission also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) that seeks comment on a challenge process for broadband availability data and additional processes for verifying broadband availability submitted by providers.
