A new BroadbandNow report reveals that 26 million Americans do not have access to fixed-wire broadband with speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, a figure 33% higher than the FCC's estimate. The report highlights that 65% of audited addresses cannot order such broadband plans, with notable discrepancies in rural areas. These mapping inaccuracies jeopardize approximately $14 billion in funding from the BEAD Program and may further complicate efforts to ensure equitable broadband access.
Discrepancies are not wholly uniform: they concentrate in rural Plains, Mountain West, and fast‑growing Sunbelt states, where reliance on self‑reported provider filings and long‑range fixed‑wireless deployments skews official maps.
A 33% mapping error could misroute roughly $14 in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding away from communities that need it.
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