Altice Disputing Locations New York Claims is Underserved in FCC Broadband Map

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2023 – Internet service provider Altice USA is challenging claims by the state of New York that its fixed broadband maps are inaccurate, according to a company letter to the Federal Communications Commission.

New York was one of the earliest challengers of the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission’s preliminary broadband data fabric, which includes service provider data and constitutes the foundation of the commission’s broadband availability map. The state, which created its own map in anticipation of having to challenge the federal data, claimed that there were 31,500 missing locations in the first version of the fabric before the map’s preliminary release in November.

On Monday, Altice filed to the FCC a request for confidentiality in anticipation of submitting data it said challenges the state’s contentions. The FCC allows for challenges to its fabric, including allowing the provider to dispute a challenge by providing evidence that it serves or could and is willing to serve the location being contested.

“In response to a bulk challenge filed by the Empire State Development Corporation, Altice is submitting lists of location IDs where the company has previously provided service, where the company currently provides service to an active subscriber, and where the company could and is willing to provide service,” Altice said in its letter to the FCC.

“Altice is also submitting a supporting affidavit that includes information regarding the number of challenged locations that Altice currently serves or formerly served,” it added.

Broadband Breakfast reached out to Altice’s communications representatives about how many locations it’s challenging and did not hear back in time for publishing.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said last week the commission added nearly three million locations – one million net new locations – and has “largely completed” the second version of the map fabric. The commission releases updated maps every six months.

The map will be used by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to deliver to the states the $42.5 billion in broadband infrastructure funds from its Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. Fewer underserved locations in a state will mean less BEAD funding.