Broadband Breakfast Panelists Pitch Solutions for Finer Broadband Mapping Data
Experts argue for significant changes in order for broadband mapping efforts to be successful.

Experts argue for significant changes in order for broadband mapping efforts to be successful.
July 13, 2021—A federal mandate to get granular broadband data down to the doorstep would greatly speed up deployment, according to panelists on the latest Broadband Breakfast event last week.
Brian Webster, CEO of Wireless Mapping Inc., said on the panel the current Form 477 – which collects data on a broader census tract level to see which providers serve which areas – is not a great metric for measuring broadband coverage, and argued for better, higher-quality, and specific data.
Fiber deployment emerges as a common thread despite vastly different market conditions.
Permitting delays, transmission backlogs, siting fights, and supply chain gaps top the list.
The agency is investigating the company, along with Comcast and Verizon, over diversity practices.
Outdated permitting systems could stymie nuclear projects needed for tomorrow’s data centers, panelists said.