Congress Approves Broadband Mapping Bill

Congress has approved the Broadband Data Improvement Act that it hopes will lead to better reporting of high-speed buildouts and target where improvements need to be made.

Industry associations, across the board, welcomed the bill’s passage.

Ray Baum, telecom committee chairman for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, said members are “particularly pleased with the provisions that both acknowledge the important role states play and provide matching grants that will help states develop and implement data collection efforts.”

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) urged President Bush to sign the bill as soon as possible.

“It’s clear that lawmakers share our broadband policy goals,” said Grant Seiffert, TIA president. “They took assertive action in the push for a competitive, high-speed broadband infrastructure that is so important to the U.S. economy.”

USTelecom President and CEO Walter McCormick issued a similar statement.

“As this legislation acknowledges, using public-private partnerships to accelerate investment and deployment depends on accurate broadband mapping and effective targeting of resources,” he said.

The Broadband Data Improvement Act includes language from the House’s “Broadband Census Act.”