From the MIHI Office – https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi

 

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Because high-speed internet is not available to nearly half a million homes in Michigan, we continue to urge every Michigander to check their home and business address on the preliminary broadband map to ensure it accurately reflects their level of internet access.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will use the finalized maps to help determine future broadband expansion efforts and billions in grant funding to close the digital divide in communities across the country.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will use the finalized maps to help determine future broadband expansion efforts and billions in grant funding to close the digital divide in communities across the country. Here’s how to access the FCC broadband map:

  1. Visit FCC broadband map here, then type in an address and see if the reported coverage is accurate. You can access the site from a computer or a mobile device.
  2. Residents can submit a challenge by clicking “Location Challenge” if the location of their home or business is missing or incorrect, or “Availability Challenge” if the internet service information is incorrect.
  3. Residents should visit the website of any internet service provider that claims to serve their location and use the website's "Check Availability" or similar tool to determine if the provider can serve their location.
  4. If they can't, a screenshot of their website can be submitted to the FCC as evidence for an Availability Challenge.

The FCC also allows local governments, tribal governments and other stakeholders to file bulk challenges for multiple locations on behalf of their communities.

To ensure an accurate map is used for funding decisions, all challenges must be submitted by January 13, 2023.

Other related resources:

·         No broadband available at your home or business? You better tell the feds, quick

·         What Is the FCC’s New Broadband Map and Why Does it Matter? The effort to highlight where high-speed internet is and is not available will affect state funding



The FCC Broadband Data Collection Help Center has a wealth of information on the methodology and data contained on the map, including resources for those looking to challenge the map data. Consumers can follow the instructions on how to file an availability challenge using the new map here. Governmental entities can access the underlying broadband serviceable location fabric that forms the foundation for the address locations on the map. Data can be downloaded here for various geographies by speed for comparison.

MIHI team is encouraging consumers, communities and any others with a stake in broadband availability to submit challenges to the FCC map if a discrepancy is found. Having an accurate federal map will ensure that Michigan receives its equitable share of funding through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program to invest in achieving universal broadband availability for all Michiganders.

 

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Please send any questions to: LEO-MIHighSpeedInternet@michigan.gov.

Sign up for newsletters from MIHI office here https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi

 

 

Shannon White
Library Development Manager
Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, MI 48909
Whites29@michigan.gov  517-335-1507 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan