The $42.5 billion expansion of broadband in the United States has been delayed to 2023 due to the Federal Communications Commission updating its maps of internet connections.
The $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed in December 2021 included more than $40 billion in funding for expanding broadband access. However, the bill stipulated that the funding must not be distributed by the Commerce Department until the FCC provides updated broadband maps that reflect where the internet is needed.
“We understand the urgency of getting broadband out there to everyone quickly,” Alan Davidson, chief of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, told the Wall Street Journal. “We also know that we get one shot at this, and we want to make sure we do it right.” Davidson estimates that the updated maps will be available in the first half of 2023, thus allowing the Commerce Department to begin sending the funding where it is needed.
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The FCC is updating its mapping processes. The regulatory agency previously relied on 477 forms filed by internet service providers to provide insight into where the networks are. The forms have been historically unreliable, driving Congress to mandate in 2020 that the FCC update its mapping processes. The agency did not get funding for this updated process until 2021, further delaying its ability to improve the mapping of internet access in the U.S.
The commission plans to publish its initial maps in November but also expects to receive feedback from consumers and companies. Appeals are expected to take months and would delay the finalization of the map.
Some industry experts are skeptical about the early 2023 turnout. “The maps are going to be better, but they’re not going to be right the first time around,” Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of The Rural Broadband Association, told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s maybe toward the end of 2023 when you talk about money coming out the door.”
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Biden’s infrastructure bill included $65 billion dedicated to broadband-related projects. The most notable aspect was the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which would funnel funds to states to help them improve internet access in “low-income” areas.
At least 21 million Americans report not having access to broadband internet, according to Pew Trusts.
