Baldwin Successfully “Badgers the FCC” to Improve Broadband Map

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin successfully pushed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to release an updated National Broadband Map that provides a more reliable and accurate depiction of broadband availability across Wisconsin. After hearing from Wisconsin community members and stakeholders of inaccurate data in the FCC’s original National Broadband Map, Senator Baldwin repeatedly pushed the FCC to correct the map’s broadband availability information to ensure Wisconsin gets its fair share of federal broadband funding in the future.

Thanks to Wisconsinites and the Public Service Commission “badgering the FCC,” Wisconsin is among the top ten states to gain unserved locations in the new map. The FCC’s map and its number of unserved locations are crucial in determining how funding will be allocated under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This program is part of the Baldwin-supported Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Incomplete and inaccurate data would disadvantage rural states and deprive Wisconsin communities of critical investments in broadband.

“I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because it is helping deliver affordable, reliable high-speed internet to Wisconsin families, students, small businesses, and farmers," said Senator Baldwin. “But, in order to ensure Wisconsin gets its fair share of resources to get more people high-speed internet, we need accurate maps that show who has access, and who does not. I will continue fighting to make sure we have the tools we need to get all Wisconsin families and businesses access to high-speed, affordable broadband.”

More information on the FCC’s new National Broadband Map can be found here.

The FCC National Broadband Map can be found here.

###