47 U.S.C. § 644 — Improving data accuracy

(a) Audits. The Commission must regularly audit information that providers submit under section 642(b)(2) to make sure providers comply with this subchapter. (b) Crowdsourcing. (1) In general. The Commission must create a process allowing people and entities in the United States to submit specific information continually about broadband deployment and availability. The Commission may use it to verify and supplement provider information for the maps under section 642(c)(1). (2) Collaboration. To help people and entities submit information, the Commission must— (A) give priority to data from consumer data-collection applications that the Commission finds highly reliable and based on proven methods for determining network coverage and performance; and (B) coordinate with the Postmaster General, the heads of other Federal agencies that operate delivery vehicles, and the Census Bureau Director for data-collection help whenever that coordination could feasibly produce more specific geographic data. (c) Technical assistance to Indian Tribes. (1) In general. Subject to paragraph (2), the Commission must hold workshops for Tribal Governments in each of the 12 Bureau of Indian Affairs regions to provide technical help with collecting and submitting data under section 642(a)(2). (2) Annual review. Each year, consulting Indian Tribes, the Commission must review whether the workshops must continue. (d) Technical assistance to small service providers. The Commission must create a process under which a provider with fewer than 100,000 active broadband connections may request and receive Commission help processing geographic-information-system data. The help must let the provider meet section 642(b)’s requirements accurately and on time. (e) Technical assistance to State, local, and Tribal governments and consumers. The Commission must give consumers and State, local, and Tribal governmental entities technical help with the challenge process under section 642(b)(5). This must include— (1) detailed tutorials and webinars; and (2) Commission staff to help, as needed, through the entire challenge process. (f) GAO Assessment of Fabric source data. (1) In general. The Comptroller General must assess key data sources used for the Fabric to identify and geocode locations where fixed broadband can be installed. The assessment must support recommendations for improving those sources’ quality and completeness for the Fabric. (2) Sources included. The sources must include— (A) relevant Federal data sources, including the National Address Database administered by the Department of Transportation; (B) digitized parcel data at State and county levels; and (C) property-tax attribute records. (3) Report. Within one year after March 23, 2020, the Comptroller General must send the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee a report containing the recommendations under paragraph (1).