Connected Texas Releases USF Mobility Fund Eligibility Maps & Analysis
Ensuring ubiquitous availability of next-generation mobile broadband networks is critical to economic development and growth. Recognizing this importance, the Federal Communications Commission later this year will distribute $300 million in subsidies to support the construction of high-speed mobile broadband networks in areas that do not currently have mobile broadband access.
Today, Connected Texas is releasing an analysis of the FCC’s preliminary list of areas in Texas that are eligible for the FCC’s Mobility Fund. On February 10, 2012, the FCC released a list of areas in Texas census blocks that it had determined do not currently have access to 3G mobile wireless service. The FCC generated this preliminary list from its review of commercial, industry data sources.
Connected Texas’ analysis compares the FCC eligible areas list to the geographic areas on our maps that have access to mobile download speeds of 1.5 Mbps. Every “3G” technology listed by the FCC in its Mobility Fund is expected to have the potential of delivering at least 1.5 Mbps service. Our findings are summarized below.
For the most part, our data confirms that the vast majority of the areas of Texas lacking 3G technology do not, in fact, have adequate mobile broadband service. However, it also appears that many parts of Texas that do not have access to high-speed mobile broadband service are not on the FCC’s list of eligible areas.
The areas in which there are discrepancies between the FCC’s analysis and our data can be seen in the following map:
The FCC is currently seeking comment from the public as to its analysis of 3G availability in Texas is accurate. Public comments are due by March 16, 2012. The FCC will finalize this list later this year and will allocate these subsidies on September 27, 2012.
For a downloadable link to the map and chart click here. Visit our map gallery to see more downloadable maps.
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