On May 21, 2026, the FCC released the Sixth Report and Order and Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“Order” and “FNPRM,” respectively) streamlining the Broadband Data Collection (“BDC”) and National Broadband Map (“NBM”) processes and seeking comment on proposals to further enhance efficiency while maintaining accurate BDC data. The item was adopted at the May Open Meeting.
Report and Order
The FCC proposes several measures that would:
- Require facilities-based providers to report the availability of “broadband internet access service,” instead of “broadband connections,” in their Form 477 filings.
- Eliminate the requirement that the FCC notify providers of “Fabric” location challenges, create a new rule subsection specifically to address the Fabric challenge process, and clarify that there is no 90-day timing requirement for the FCC to resolve Fabric challenges.
- Eliminate the obligation within section 1.7009(d) of the Commission’s rules that providers update BDC data based on adverse verification results, instead requiring that the Commission staff perform that function.
- Adjust various rule sections to reflect the transition from the International Bureau to the resulting Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs, and clarify that provider-specific broadband availability data must be released without delineating specific data subcomponents.
FNPRM
- Seek comment on the coverage restoration process, including:
- Ways to streamline the coverage restoration process, wherein coverage to a location is restored following a Commission decision that a location is served properly. The Commission proposes several potential changes, including: (i) “a data-driven coverage restoration process whereby removed locations or areas would be automatically restored without the need for the provider to submit further data or evidence establishing that it actually serves the location or area or upon the provider simply selecting from a list of potential reasons why the location can now be served;” (ii) “collecting infrastructure data as part of audits, verification requests, and enforcement;” or (iii) “leveraging the existing challenge process.”
- Whether the Commission can overturn a determination that a provider’s broadband availability data is not reliable or accurate without additional data.
- Establishing a de minimis threshold for percentage of total locations for which coverage restoration is requested to trigger a lower evidentiary burden for restoring coverage.
- Seek comment on Fixed and Wireliess biannual data submissions, including whether to eliminate the following requirements:
- Reporting requirements for fixed broadband availability data that has been grandfathered.
- The requirement that fixed service providers continue to submit broadband availability data for locations where they offer service at speeds below 25/3 Mbps.
- The requirement that providers use certain maximum buffer sizes when generating their data and to disclose these values in their BDC biannual submissions.
- Whether to relax the seven-meter maximum consumer antenna height requirement for terrestrial fixed wireless.
- Seek comment on the following topics:
- Whether to eliminate the requirements that service providers report 3G mobile broadband availability data and that mobile voice providers report mobile voice availability data.
- A proposed data retention requirement for providers.
- Whether to allow a fixed service provider to rebut a challenge by submitting infrastructure data to the Commission. The Commission asks what the triggering mechanism for rebuttal should be, for example:
- Clear evidence of material misstatement;
- Whether an alleged misstatement likely affects a significant number of additional similarly situated locations;
- The category of fixed challenge;
- Subscriber penetration in the relevant area being below 10%, or a similar percentage; or
- Any other factors or mixture of factors.
- Changing the 60-day response and 60-day resolution fixed challenge timelines for consumer and bulk challenges.
- Several suggested changes to the mobile data crowdsourcing process, including whether to accept third-party speed test data.
- How to streamline the mobile verification process, including whether to require speed test data in response to a verification request.
- Creating categories of data that will be presumed confidential without a provider request.
There were no substantive changes made to the rules ultimately adopted in the Order. The FCC made the following notable changes from the draft item to the adopted FNPRM portion of the item:
- The Commission added a request to refresh the record on whether a mobile provider can use “on-the-ground speed tests” to demonstrate coverage availability in a Removed Location or Area, as well as whether there are any other types of data that could be used as evidence to demonstrate service availability in the service restoration process. (¶¶ 37-38)
- The FCC added a variety of new requests for comment regarding whether the fixed challenge and Fabric challenge processes are sufficiently clear for consumer use, and how both processes can be improved, including through resources created by the Commission. (¶¶ 74-77)
- The Commission included a new request for comment on CCA’s concerns about the difficulty of obtaining crowdsourced data in rural areas, and the use of such data to create mobile challenges. (¶ 80)
- The Commission added a new section concerning drone data and seeking comment on whether “data collected by drones could be leveraged in any BDC processes,” including the mobile challenge, crowdsource, verification, audit, or restoration processes, and asks about technical parameters that should apply to drone data collection. (¶ 91)
The draft item is tentatively scheduled for consideration at the May 20th Open Meeting. Once adopted, the amended rules will be effective 30 days after the Order is published in the Federal Register, comments will be due 30 days after the FNPRM is published in the Federal Register and reply comments will be due 60 days after publication.
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