Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

April 22, 2022 R47076

Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently
April 22, 2022
Asked Questions
Rachael D. Roan
Summary
Research Librarian

This report provides an overview of select federal broadband data sources and answers frequently
asked congressional questions concerning these sources. The answers to frequently asked

questions include links to available funding sources, service maps, provider speeds and
technologies, and guidance resources.
This report highlights reports and data sources from federal entities, including the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA),
and the U.S. Census. Types of reports and data sources include federal survey data, congressionally mandated reports, federal
assistance data, and select programmatic reports.
The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (Broadband DATA Act; P.L. 116-130), enacted in
March 2020, highlights congressional interest in accurate broadband data. The FCC is in the process of creating systems and
processes for the broadband data collection requirements included in the Broadband DATA Act.
This report also references relevant CRS products that provide additional background information on related topics.

Congressional Research Service

Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Broadband?
The term broadband commonly refers to high-speed internet access that is faster than dial-up
access. Broadband includes several high-speed transmission technologies, such as digital
subscriber line (DSL), cable modem, fiber, wireless, satellite, and broadband over power lines
(BPL).
CRS Reports
CRS Report R45962, Broadband Data and Mapping: Background and Issues for the 117th
Congress, by Colby Leigh Rachfal.
CRS In Focus IF12030, The Broadband Digital Divide: What Comes Next for Congress?, by
Colby Leigh Rachfal.
Federal Broadband Reports and Data Sets
Various federal entities produce broadband information, including reports and data sets. Reports
may describe the state of broadband generally or discuss specific federal broadband programs or
activities. Data sets may focus on funding agencies, grant programs, geographic and demographic
information, grant awardees, speeds deployed, and more.
Which Federal Entities Support Broadband Programs?
The following federal entities provide broadband support and may make available reports, data,
and other broadband information:
 Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),
 Department of Agriculture (USDA),
 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
 Department of the Treasury, and
 Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
CRS Reports
CRS Report R47075, The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA):
Current Roles and Programs, by Ling Zhu.
CRS Report R46780, Overview of the Universal Service Fund and Selected Federal Broadband
Programs, coordinated by Patricia Moloney Figliola.
CRS Report R46912, USDA Rural Broadband, Electric, and Water Programs: FY2022
Appropriations, by Lisa S. Benson.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

What Types of Broadband Reports and Data Sets Are Publically
Available?
Census Bureau
 Computer and Internet Use in the United States—The Broadband Data
Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-385) required the Census to amend the
American Community Survey (ACS) to determine internet access by household.
The ACS asks questions about the type of computer used, whether the household
has internet access, and the type of internet access. Examples of internet subject-
related data tables include types of computers and internet subscriptions and
types of internet subscriptions by selected characteristics.
FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Company
 Broadband Progress Reports (1999-current)—Section 706(b) of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104) requires the FCC to annually
assess the availability of advanced telecommunications capability to Americans,
determine if the deployment is reasonable and timely, and take action to remove
deployment barriers. The progress report analyzes FCC Form 477 data providing
deployment estimates by
 geographical areas (rural areas, urban areas, tribal lands);
 speed data, including
 fixed terrestrial speed (10/1 Mbps, 25/3 Mbps, 50/5 Mbps, 100/10
Mbps, 250/25 Mbps)
 minimum advertised speed (5/1 Mbps)
 median speed (10/3 Mbps);
 demographic data, including
 for Americans with and without coverage fixed terrestrial 25/3 Mbps
service and mobile 4G LTE
 the percentage of population with fixed terrestrial services by census
block group-level demographic variables; and
 adoption data by speed, including
 the rate of adoption for fixed terrestrial services at different speed
tiers and
 the rate of adoption at different speed tiers by county-level
demographic variables, such as median house income, population
density, household poverty rate, and rural population rate.
 Federal-State Joint Board Monitoring Reports (1987-current)—The reports
provide National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) and Universal Service
Administrative Company (USAC) data on universal service support. The data
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
 telecommunications industry revenues;
 universal service programs, including
 funding claims, commitments, and disbursements;
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

 subscribership; and
 residential internet subscribership and expenses.
 Fixed Broadband Deployment Data from FCC Form 477—FCC requires that
 facilities-based broadband providers file data with the FCC twice a year
(Form 477) on which they offer Internet access service at speeds exceeding
200 kbps in at least one direction;
 fixed providers file lists of census blocks in which they can, or do, offer
service to at least one location, with additional information about the service;
and
 mobile providers file maps of their coverage areas for each broadband
technology.
 Form 499 Filer Database—Internet service providers are required to file annually
(Form 499) to report a company’s actual revenue billed during the prior calendar
year. The filer database contains the following information:
 company’s current and prior business name(s) and primary address(es),
 state or jurisdiction where the company provides services or is planning to
provide service,
 names and business addresses of select company officers, and
 company’s designated agent for service of process.
 FCC’s Open Data platform—Subsets of the Form 477 data are available,
including data by geographic area and the average download/upload speeds by
state.
 USAC Annual Report—USAC files an annual report with the FCC and Congress
by March 31, reporting on the prior year’s operations, activities, and
accomplishments. Annual Reports from 1999 to current are available. Content
includes, but is not limited to,
 annual disbursement amounts,
 quantity of participating entities, and
 information about training resources.
 USAC’s Open Data platform—USAC administers the Universal Service Fund
(USF) under the FCC’s direction. The USF provides support through a number of
direct mechanisms that target both providers of and subscribers to
telecommunications services. The open data platform includes interactive
datasets, visualization tools, and exports. The datasets contain universal service
program participants’ data for the
 E-rate,
 Rural Health Care,
 Lifeline,
 High Cost, and
 COVID-19 broadband programs.
 FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics Industry Analysis Division releases
additional periodic reports and data, such as
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

 Urban Rate Survey Data & Resources—The survey provides comparability
benchmarks for fixed voice and broadband rates for universal service
purposes. The results include
 provider name,
 state in which the Census tract is located,
 technology used to provide the residential service,
 advertised download and upload speeds, and
 monthly and total costs.
NTIA
 Access Broadband Reports—The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
mandated an annual report to Congress, which highlights NTIA’s Office of
Internet Connectivity and Growth’s yearly accomplishments, covers investments
in federal broadband support programs and USF programs, and makes
improvement recommendations for tracking broadband spending and outcomes.
 American Broadband Initiative (ABI) Progress Reports—In February 2019, the
NTIA, in coordination with over 20 other agencies, launched the ABI to establish
strategies for streamlining federal permitting, leveraging federal assets, and
maximizing the effectiveness of federal funding for broadband.
 Digital Nation Reports—NTIA’s analysis of the data collected through the
Census’ ACS survey questions on broadband internet usage.
 Digital Nation Data Explorer—Tracked metrics include, but are not limited to,
 device use, such as desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, smart TV, and
wearable;
 internet use by age (15 and older), location (state, home, work, school, public
place), and no home internet use;
 reasons for non-use of the internet at home, such as do not need or not
interested, too expensive, can use elsewhere, no/inadequate computer, or
privacy or security concerns;
 types of internet service plans (mobile, satellite, wired, and dial-up) and how
the plan is purchased or provided (e.g., by company, included with housing,
public service at no cost); and
 online activities, such as using email, using social networks, working
remotely, and selling goods.
USDA
 Congressional Justifications for the Rural Utilities Service, included in the annual
USDA Budget Explanatory Notes,—Provides appropriations, by state, for
telecommunications grants (e.g., the Community Connect Program, Rural
Broadband Access Program, and Telecommunications Infrastructure Program).
 Rural Development Grant Awards—Lists Rural Development grant awards,
including telecommunications grants, by fiscal year. The downloadable lists can
be sorted by city, state, recipient, amount, program, and congressional
representative.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

 Rural Development Reports—Selected broadband programmatic reports for the
Broadband Initiatives Program funded by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).
 ReConnect Loan and Grant Program—The ReConnect program provides funds
construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment costs for
broadband service in eligible rural areas. Awardee summaries include the state,
total square miles, funded service area households, award amount, and
description.
 Distance Learning & Telemedicine—The program helps rural communities use
telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world. Awardee
summaries include the state, award amount, and description.
Which Reports and Datasets Include Congressional-District, City,
or County-Level Data?
FCC
 Broadband Progress Reports provide selected data by city, county, or county.
 Fixed Broadband Deployment map provides an “Area Summary” search that
includes broadband provider information by state, county, congressional district,
census place, tribal area, and core-based statistical area.
USAC
 USAC’s Open Data platform provides keyword searching across datasets to
identify those with geographic data of interest. Datasets include,
 E-Rate Recipient Details and Commitments dataset includes city, state,
zip code, county, latitude, longitude, and congressional district data.
 Rural Health Care Commitments and Disbursements dataset includes
city, state, zip code, county, latitude, and longitude data.
USDA
 Rural Development Grant Awards provide select Rural Development grant
awards, including telecommunications grants, spreadsheets by fiscal year. Award
information includes city, state, recipient, amount, program, and the associated
congressional-district representative.
Federal Broadband Assistance
The primary source of federal grant information is SAM.gov.1 The website describes more than
2,200 federal assistance programs that can be located by searching the “Assistance Listings.”
Note that funding of specific grant programs depends upon annual congressional budget
appropriations.

1 The System for Award Management (SAM), or SAM.gov, is the official government source for contract opportunities
and assistance listings. Assistance listings include projects, services, and activities the federal government provides to
the public.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

Which Broadband Activities Does Federal Assistance Support?
Federal assistance programs fund a variety of broadband activities, including planning,
infrastructure deployment, mapping, equipment, public connectivity, research, training, and
telehealth. Entities interested in applying for federal assistance are encouraged to review program
information—including eligibility requirements—to determine if the program will meet their
needs.
NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide provides general descriptions of broadband assistance programs,
including funding agencies’ programmatic websites and contact information; purpose of the
program; funding type (e.g., formula, grant, loan); important dates (e.g., application submission
date, if applicable); appropriation amounts (if available); eligibility requirements, among other
information. The guide is downloadable in PDF and XLS formats.
Entities seeking federal funding for specific purposes can use the guide’s “Program Purpose”
filter to identify programs with the following stated purpose:
 broadband adoption/digital literacy/tech support,
 broadband infrastructure deployment,
 data/mapping,
 devices/equipment,
 digital skills training,
 planning,
 public connectivity/computer access,
 research/evaluation,
 smart communities/cities/regions,
 telehealth, and
 other.
CRS Report
CRS Report R46780, Overview of the Universal Service Fund and Selected Federal
Broadband Programs, coordinated by Patricia Moloney Figliola.
Who Can Apply for Federal Broadband Assistance?
Eligibility requirements for federal broadband grants and loans vary by program. Entities
interested in applying for federal grant or loan funding should check the eligibility requirements
and contact program offices before starting the application process.
With federal grants and loans, it is important to understand who is eligible to apply and who is
eligible to receive the funding. In some instances, localities can apply directly (i.e., the locality
can apply for funding and the locality can receive the funding). In other instances, localities must
submit proposal to the state, through a designated state agency (also known as a state
administrative agency, or SAA). The SAA then decides with state officials whether the project
will be included in the state’s application. The SAA submits the state’s application to the federal
funding agency. If funds are awarded, the state passes the funds to localities for proposed project.
The NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide lists the following eligible recipients:
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

 electric utilities/co-ops;
 healthcare facilities;
 higher education institutions;
 financial institutions;
 for-profit organizations (including internet service providers);
 libraries;
 local governments;
 K-12 schools;
 nonprofit organizations;
 public safety entities;
 state governments;
 territorial governments; and
 Tribal/Native American governments, Alaska Native controlled organizations,
and Native Hawaiian organizations.
When seeking federal assistance, the above entities should:
 Explore the NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide: select the program that best fits the
project, then click on the program to see eligibility requirements. (The guide
includes eligibility-related filter options, such as agency/department and eligible
recipients.)
 Check the eligibility requirements for the program through federal grants
websites (e.g., Sam.gov).
 Contact the funding agency to clarify specific questions.
CRS Products
CRS In Focus IF11795, COVID-19 Response: Broadband Funding for Tribes, Tribal Colleges
and Universities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian
Health Service, coordinated by Patricia Moloney Figliola.
CRS Report RL34012, Resources for Grantseekers, by Maria Kreiser.
Which Programs Fund Broadband Projects in U.S. Territories and
the Freely Associated States?
NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide includes an “Eligible Recipients” filter for “Territorial
Governments” that provides a listing of eligible grants and loans for U.S. territories.
The guide’s PDF and spreadsheet formats allow for keyword searches, such as “Freely Associated
States” and “rural,” to identify additional relevant programs.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

Which Programs Fund Broadband Projects for Tribal
Organizations?
NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide includes an “Eligible Recipients” filter for “Tribal/Native
American governments, Alaska Native controlled organizations, and Native Hawaiian
organizations” that provides a listing of eligible grants and loans for U.S. territories.
The guide’s PDF and spreadsheet formats allow for keyword searches, such as “tribe” and
“rural,” to identify additional relevant programs.
Which Programs Fund Broadband Projects in Rural Areas?
Eligibility by type of area depends on the specific program. Selected programs that include
eligible rural areas:
 USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) provides several telecommunications loan
and grant programs.
 The Rural Health Care program provides two types of services to eligible
healthcare facilities.
 Telecommunications Program—provides funding for voice and
telecommunications services.
 Healthcare Connect Fund Program—provides funding for broadband services
and network equipment.
CRS Reports
CRS Report R47017, USDA’s ReConnect Program: Expanding Rural Broadband, by Lisa S.
Benson.
CRS Report R46108, Demand for Broadband in Rural Areas: Implications for Universal Access,
by Brian E. Humphreys.
How Much Funding Has My Locality Received?
USASpending.gov includes profiles of funding information by agency, federal accounts, states,
and recipients.2 The “Award Search” option provides filters by city, county, state, and
congressional district. SAM.gov’s “Assistance Listings” offers programmatic funding searchable
by keyword or the program-specific CFDA number.3
The sources below provide funding by locality for select programs:
 Congressional Justifications for the Rural Utilities Service provides appropriations, by
state, for USDA telecommunications grants.
 USAC Annual Report provides disbursement amounts for USF programs.

2 USASpending.gov is the official open data source of federal spending information. For more information, see
https://www.usaspending.gov/about.
3 The System for Award Management (SAM), or SAM.gov, is the official government source for contract opportunities
and assistance listings. Assistance listings include projects, services, and activities the federal government provides to
the public.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

 USAC’s Open Data platform includes USF programmatic funding. Geographic
data varies by dataset and may include city, county, state, zip code, congressional
district, latitude, and longitude.
CRS Reports
CRS Report R47017, USDA’s ReConnect Program: Expanding Rural Broadband, by Lisa S.
Benson.
CRS Report R44027, Tracking Federal Awards: USAspending.gov and Other Data Sources, by
Jennifer Teefy.
Which Awardees Received Grants and Loans in My Locality?
USASpending.gov includes select recipient profiles and federal funds award entities, and it
provides the capacity to search by recipient name and recipient type (e.g., small business,
nonprofit, higher education, U.S. territory). Location filters include city, county, state, and
congressional district.
The sources below provide awardee names by locality for select programs:
 USAC’s Open Data platform includes keyword searching across the universal
service datasets to identify those with recipient, applicant, participant, entity,
carrier, or name data. Geographic data varies by dataset and may include city,
county, state, zip code, congressional district, latitude, and longitude.
 USDA’s Rural Development Grant Awards provide spreadsheets of Rural
Development grant awards, including telecommunications grants, grouped by
fiscal year. Award information includes county, state, recipient, amount, program,
and congressional-district representative.
Broadband Availability
Broadband maps provide details on broadband deployment locations, including select
programmatic data for deployment based on obligated federal assistance. Select broadband
provider information is included in mapping and location-related resources.
What Types of Maps Are Available?
NTIA Maps
 National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM)—A nonpublic source, available
to state and federal partners, to visualize and compare federal, state, and
commercial data sets. Additional information is available on the NBAM FAQs.
 Indicators of Broadband Need Map—The mapping application uses several data
sources, including, but not limited to, the Census’ American Community Survey,
the FCC, and NTIA’s Connecting Minority Communities grant program. It
shows the data in layers, including a layer designating American Indian, Alaska
Native, and Native Hawaiian Areas by the 2020 U.S. Census. Additional
information is available in the user guide.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

FCC and USAC Maps
 Fixed Broadband Deployment Map—Provides a visualization of the FCC’s Form
477 residential fixed broadband deployment data.
 Additional FCC maps include specific-program-related data, such as
 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program Demand by State and
 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Results.
 USAC’s Open Data platform—Includes visualization tools to create maps based
on the available data. Select programmatic-level maps are also available, such as
the High-Cost: Connect America Fund Broadband Map (CAF Map). The CAF
map includes the geographic areas eligible for the program and locations where
participating carriers have built out broadband service.
USDA Maps
 Telecommunications Program Funded Service Areas Map—Includes the service areas of
the entities that received select Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loans or grants.
 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Recipients Map—Includes the DLT
grant approved entity sites, and those with obligated funds.
CRS Report
CRS Report R45962, Broadband Data and Mapping: Background and Issues for the 117th
Congress, by Colby Leigh Rachfal.
Which Broadband Providers Serve My Locality?
FCC
 Fixed Broadband Deployment map—The “Search by Address” function provides
a list of area broadband providers along with their technologies and speeds.
 Form 499 Filer Database—The “State or Jurisdiction Where Services Provided”
function provides a list of providers by state, territory, and selected freely
associated states
USAC
 Lifeline’s Companies Near Me tool provides a search by zip code or city and
state to identify companies that offer Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity
Program service.4
Broadband Technology and Speed
Broadband is delivered through a variety of technology types and speeds. The type of technology
used may depend on the provider, the service locality, and the location type (e.g., residential or

4 Formerly the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

commercial). Select broadband programmatic data include geographic and demographic data
along with speed and or technology-related data.
What Are the Deployed Speeds Reported by Locality?
FCC Broadband Progress Reports provide speed data by state, county, or county equivalent.
Speed data contain demographic information, such as household poverty rate, median household
income, population density, rural and urban areas, and tribal lands.
Federal-State Joint Board Monitoring Reports and USAC’s Open Data platform include speed
along with funding disbursements for select universal service programs.
What Are the Broadband Technologies Reported by Locality?
Federal-State Joint Board Monitoring Reports Supplementary Materials and the USAC’s Open
Data platform include technologies deployed by select universal service programs, such as
 Emergency Connectivity program provides connection type (e.g., leased lit fiber,
cable modem, mobile broadband) by city, state, and zip code;
 E-Rate program provides fiber type (e.g., lit fiber, dark fiber, self-provisioned
fiber) by city, state, zip code, or congressional district;
 Lifeline program provides technology (e.g., wireline, wireless, or both) by state;
and
 Rural Health Care program provides service type (e.g., wireless, cable modem
service, dark fiber, DSL, internet, Ethernet) by city, state, county, and zip code.
Urban Rate Survey Data & Resources include technologies used to provide residential service in
urban areas by state.
Guidance and Informational Resources
Federal entities publish resources to assist the public, grant seekers, researchers, and others.
Broadband-related federal entities provide guidance resources for federal assistance, broadband
deployment and adoption planning, and programmatic information.
What Resources Are Available to Entities Seeking Federal
Assistance Projects?
NTIA’s BroadbandUSA program publishes glossaries, guidance on cost and financing broadband,
a monthly broadband newsletter, and provides topical webinars (e.g., grant programs, federal data
sources, stakeholder engagement). The NTIA website provides webinars on selected materials,
including
 Broadband Glossary;
 Smart Communities Glossary;
 A Guide to Federal Funding of Broadband Projects; and
 Costs at-a-Glance: Fiber and Wireless Networks.
USAC’s website includes programmatic webinars and newsletters for universal service programs’
participants.
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

Agency programmatic websites contain funding eligibility requirement resources for entities.
NTIA’s Federal Funding Guide provides programmatic websites and agency contacts.
What Broadband Planning Resources Are Available?
NTIA’s BroadbandUSA program publishes broadband roadmaps and toolkits to assist
communities with planning broadband adoption, including stakeholder outreach and public-
private partnerships. Selected materials include the following:
 Broadband Adoption Toolkit;
 Introduction to Effective Public-Private Partnerships;
 Introduction to Stakeholder Outreach;
 Planning a Community Broadband Roadmap: A Toolkit for Local and Tribal
Governments;
 The Power of Broadband Partnership: A Toolkit for Local and Tribal Governments;
 Implementing a Broadband Network Vision: A Toolkit for Local and Tribal Governments;
and
 Sustaining Broadband Networks: A Toolkit for Local and Tribal Governments.
What State-Specific Broadband Resources Are Available?
NTIA’s BroadbandUSA program provides information on state broadband programs, including
 state broadband websites,
 state broadband coordinators,
 broadband program descriptions and websites,
 funding information, and
 state broadband plans.
BroadbandUSA gathers state information using publically available sources (e.g., state websites).
CRS Report
CRS Report R46307, State Broadband Initiatives: Selected State and Local Approaches as
Potential Models for Federal Initiatives to Address the Digital Divide, by Colby Leigh Rachfal.

Author Information

Rachael D. Roan

Research Librarian

Congressional Research Service

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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions

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