ChannelVision Magazine

Federal Communications Commis - sion’s Office of Economics and Analyt - ics (OEA) released updated data in February showing that the digital divide “substantially narrowed” during the first two years of Chairman Ajit Pai’s lead - ership of the FCC. The updated data is being added to the congressionally mandated Communications Market - place Report (2018), covering industry data from 2016 to 2018. Specifically, from December 2016 to December 2018, the number of Ameri - cans without any options for at least 250/25 Mbps fixed terrestrial broad - band service plummeted by 74 per - cent, from 181.7 million to 47 million. And during that same time period, the number of Americans with no options for at least 25/3 Mbps fixed terrestrial broadband service fell by 30 percent, from 26.1 million to 18.3 million. The data also showed an increase in competition from December 2016 to December 2018, with the number of Americans enjoying more than two options for 25/3 Mbps fixed terrestrial broadband service increasing by 52 percent, from 45.9 million to 69.8 mil - lion. Moreover, the number of rural Americans with two or more options for 25/3 Mbps fixed terrestrial broadband service increased by 52 percent, from 14.4 million to 22 million. “My top priority at the FCC is to expand broadband deployment and provide all Americans with digital oppor - tunity, and the figures we are releasing today show once again that we are on the right track,” said Pai. “At that same time, however, our work is not done. That’s why we’ll continue our focus on eliminating regulatory barriers to broadband deployment and reforming our universal service funding programs, such as through the implementation of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.” Some industry observers, however, note that this new update is courtesy of FCC Form 477 data, which has gen - erated much controversy. Form 477 data counts an entire census block as being covered with broadband if a service provider can deliver broadband service to only one household within that census block. That method for counting broadband availability and the digital divide can lead to over stating the actual reality on the ground, said Telecompetitor researchers. The FCC’s updated data includes fixed and mobile broadband deployment and speeds as of December 31, 2018. ZETTABYTES FCC Points to Shrinking Digital Divide 71 March - April, 2020 | CHANNEL VISION