Democratic New York Congressman Antonio Delgado has secured a broadband measure in a package of appropriations bills passed by the House of Representatives.
Delgado, of the 19th District, says today’s broadband availability maps rely on unverified provider-reported data at the census-block level, resulting in maps that overstate coverage in rural communities.
“In other words, if one house on one block can purchase coverage, the whole block is deemed served. You will never close digital divide relying on bad data,” Delgado says. “My amendment prevents the National Telecommunications and Information Administration from relying solely on census-block data for broadband availability maps. Bad data yields bad maps, and this critical amendment will put an end to it.”
Delgado is a member of the House Task Force on Rural Broadband.