NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jade Piros de Carvalho is the Director of the Office of Broadband Development in the Kansas Department of Commerce. She tells Hutch Post that there is an important deadline for Kansans to challenge the new Federal Communications Commission broadband service location and availability maps.
"In conjunction with this historic level of funding to provide broadband to every American, Congress felt it was very important, and I agree, that we need to be the best stewards of those funds and we need to channel those dollars into the areas where service doesn't exist," Piros de Carvalho said. "We need to know where service is and where it isn't and this map was recently published to help demonstrate that. The FCC recognizes that it's a draft and is asking for the public's help in trying to identify inaccuracies in the map. This is very important, because the amount of money states will get from the infrastructure bill toward broadband hinges on the accuracy of this map."
The map deadline is less than two weeks away.
"The FCC has tried to make it as easy as possible," Piros de Carvalho said. "Our office is available to walk people through the process, if they find it cumbersome. Several older people have called me and said, this is really hard to navigate. You can go to kansascommerce.gov/broadband and the first thing that comes up is a graphic that says, Challenge the Map.
Currently the FCC shows KS at under 5% unserved. The state believes that residents are more likely closer to 15% unserved.
"If it says you have three providers that are providing high speed internet and you know for a fact you can't get internet, then your house isn't going to be counted as unserved," Piros de Carvalho said. "We've found a lot of inaccuracies in that respect. That's just because it's a little bit difficult to report where your network is and where your network isn't. This data comes from providers who report where they can serve. Some of the different technologies, it's a little bit more nebulous."
This is particularly true if the only fast lane onto the internet for you comes from a wireless connection, especially if you are far from the wireless tower that serves you. The deadline for challenges is Jan. 13, 2023.
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