§ 1.7006 - Data verification.

§ 1.7006 Data verification.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 66267, Aug. 15, 2024.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 66268, Aug. 15, 2024.

(a) Audits. The Commission Office of Economics and Analytics, in coordination with the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, and Space Bureau, shall conduct regular audits of the information submitted by providers in their Digital Opportunity Broadband Data Collection filings. The audits:

(1) May be random, as determined by the CommissionOffice of Economics and Analytics; or

(2) Can be required in cases where there may be patterns of filing incorrect information, as determined by the CommissionOffice of Economics and Analytics.

(b) Crowdsourcing process. Entities or individuals may submit in the Commission's online portal specific information regarding the deployment and availability of broadband internet access service so that it may be used to verify and supplement information submitted by providers for potential inclusion in the coverage maps.

(1) Crowdsourced data filers shall provide:

(i) Contact information of the filer (e.g., name, address, phone number, and email);

(ii) The location that is the subject of the filing, including the street address and/or coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the location;

(iii) The name of the provider;

(iv) Any relevant details disputing the deployment and availability of broadband internet access service at the location; and

(v) A certification that to the best of the filer's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements in the filing are true and correct.

(2) On-the-ground crowdsourced data must include the metrics and meet the testing parameters described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, except that the data may include any combination of download speed and upload speed rather than both.

(3) The online portal shall notify a provider of a crowdsourced data filing against it, but a provider is not required to respond to a crowdsourced data filing.

(4) If, as a result of crowdsourced data and/or other available data, the Commission determines that a provider's coverage information is likely not accurate, then the provider shall be subject to a verification inquiry consistent with the mobile verification process described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(5) All information submitted as part of the crowdsourcing process shall be made public via the Commission's website, with the exception of personally identifiable information and any data required to be confidential under § 0.457 of this chapter.

(c) Mobile service verification process for mobile providers. Mobile service providers must submit either infrastructure information or on-the-ground test data in response to a request by Commission staff as part of its inquiry to independently verify the accuracy of the mobile provider's coverage propagation models and maps. In addition to submitting either on-the-ground data or infrastructure data, a provider may also submit data collected from transmitter monitoring software. The Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau may require the submission of additional data when necessary to complete a verification inquiry. A provider must submit its data, in the case of both infrastructure information and on-the-ground data, within 60 days of receiving a Commission staff request. Regarding on-the-ground data, a provider must submit evidence of network performance based on a sample of on-the-ground tests that is statistically appropriate for the area tested. A provider must verify coverage of a sampled area using the H3 geospatial indexing system at resolution 8. The on-the-ground tests will be evaluated to confirm, using a one-sided 95% statistical confidence interval, that the cell coverage is 90% or higher. In submitting data in response to a verification request, a provider must record at least two tests within each of the randomly selected hexagons where the time of the tests are at least four hours apart, irrespective of date, unless, for any sampled hexagon, the provider has and submits alongside its speed tests actual cell loading data for the cell(s) covering the hexagon sufficient to establish that median loading, measured in 15-minute intervals, did not exceed the modeled loading factor for the one-week period prior to the verification inquiry, in which case the provider is required to submit only a single test for the sampled hexagon. We will treat any tests within the sampled accessible point-hex that are outside the coverage area as valid in the case where tests were not recorded within the coverage area. If the required sampled point-hex continue to have missing tests, we will also consider tests that fall slightly outside the required point-hex but within the typical Global Positioning System (GPS) average user range error as valid when no tests are recorded within the point-hex. If the sampled point-hex still has missing tests, we would set those missing required speed tests as negative tests when performing the final adjudication. For in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle.

(1) When a mobile service provider chooses to demonstrate mobile broadband coverage availability by submitting on-the-ground data, the mobile service provider must provide valid on-the-ground tests within a Commission-identified statistically valid and unbiased sample of its network.

(i) On-the-ground test data must meet the following testing parameters:

(A) A minimum test length of 5 seconds and a maximum test length of 30 seconds. These test length parameters apply individually to download speed, upload speed, and round-trip latency measurements, and do not include ramp up time. The minimum test duration requirement will be relaxed once a download or upload test measurement has transferred at least 1,000 megabytes of data;

(B) Reporting test measurement results that have been averaged over the duration of the test (i.e., total bits received divided by total test time); and

(C) Conducted outdoors between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time; and

(ii) On-the-ground test data must include the following metrics for each test:

(A) Testing app name and version;

(B) Timestamp and duration of each test metric;

(C) Geographic coordinates (i.e., latitude/longitude) measured at the start and end of each test metric measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better, along with location accuracy;

(D) Consumer-grade device type(s), brand/model, and operating system used for the test;

(E) Name and identity of the service provider being tested;

(F) Location of test server (e.g., hostname or IP address);

(G) Signal strength, signal quality, unique identifier, and radiofrequency metrics of each serving cell, where available;

(H) Download speed;

(I) Upload speed;

(J) Round-trip latency;

(K) Whether the test was taken in an in-vehicle mobile or outdoor, pedestrian stationary environment;

(L) For an in-vehicle test, the speed the vehicle was traveling when the test was taken, where available;

(M) An indication of whether the test failed to establish a connection with a mobile network at the time and place it was initiated;

(N) The network technology (e.g., 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G-NR (New Radio)) and spectrum bands used for the test; and

(O) All other metrics required per the most recent specification for mobile test data adopted by Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553.

(2) When a mobile service provider chooses to demonstrate mobile broadband coverage availability by submitting infrastructure data, the mobile service provider must submit such data for all cell sites and antennas that serve or interfere with the targeted area.

(i) Infrastructure data must include the following information for each cell site that the provider uses to provide service for the area subject to the verification inquiry:

(A) The latitude and longitude of the cell site measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better;

(B) The cell and site ID number for each cell site;

(C) The ground elevation above mean sea level (AMSL) of the site (in meters);

(D) Frequency band(s) used to provide service for each site being mapped including channel bandwidth (in megahertz);

(E) Radio technologies used on each band for each site;

(F) Capacity (megabits per second (Mbps)) and type of backhaul used at each cell site;

(G) Number of sectors at each cell site;

(H) Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP, in decibel-milliwatts (dBm)) of the sector at the time the mobile provider creates its map of the coverage data;

(I) Geographic coordinates of each transmitter site measured with typical GPS Standard Positioning Service accuracy or better;

(J) Per site classification (e.g., urban, suburban, or rural);

(K) Elevation above ground level for each base station antenna and other transmit antenna specifications (i.e., the make and model, beamwidth (in degrees), radiation pattern, and orientation (azimuth and any electrical and/or mechanical down-tilt in degrees) at each cell site);

(L) Operate transmit power of the radio equipment at each cell site;

(M) Throughput and associated required signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio;

(N) Cell loading distribution;

(O) Areas enabled with carrier aggregation and a list of band combinations; and

(P) Any additional parameters and fields that are listed in the most-recent specifications for wireless infrastructure data released by the Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553.

(ii) [Reserved]

(d) Fixed service challenge process. State, local, and Tribal governmental entities, consumers, and other entities or individuals may submit data in an online portal to challenge the accuracy of the coverage maps at a particular location, any information submitted by a provider regarding the availability of broadband internet access service, or the Fabric.

(1) Challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Name and contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email);

(ii) The street address or geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) of the location(s) at which broadband internet access service coverage is being challenged;

(iii) Name of provider whose reported coverage information is being challenged;

(iv) Category of dispute, selected from pre-established options on the portal;

(v) For consumers challenging availability data or the coverage maps, evidence and details of a request for service (or attempted request for service), including the date, method, and content of the request and details of the response from the provider, or evidence showing no availability at the disputed location (e.g., screen shot, emails);

(vi) For government or other entities, evidence and details about the dispute, including:

(A) The challenger's methodology,

(B) the basis for determinations underlying the challenge, and

(C) communications with provider, if any, and outcome;

(vii) For challengers disputing locations in the Broadband Location Fabric, details and evidence about the disputed location;

(viii) For customer or potential customer availability or coverage map challengers, a representation that the challenger resides or does business at the location of the dispute or is authorized to request service there; and

(ix) A certification from an individual or an authorized officer or signatory of a challenger that the person examined the information contained in the challenge and that, to the best of the person's actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the challenge are true and correct.

(2) The online portal shall alert a provider if there has been a challenge with all required elements submitted against it.

(3) For availability and coverage map challenges, within 60 days of receiving an alert, a provider shall reply in the portal by:

(i) Accepting the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, in which case the provider shall submit a correction for the challenged location in the online portal within 30 days of its portal reply; or

(ii) Denying the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, in which the case the provider shall provide evidence, in the online portal and to the challenger, that the provider serves (or could and is willing to serve) the challenged location. If the provider denies the allegation(s) raised by the challenger, then the provider and the challenger shall have 60 days after the provider submits its reply to attempt to resolve the challenge.

(4) A provider's failure to respond to a challenge to its reported coverage data within the applicable timeframes shall result in a finding against the provider, resulting in mandatory corrections to the provider's Digital Opportunity Broadband Data Collection information to conform to the challenge. Providers shall submit any such corrections within 30 days of the missed reply deadline or the Commission will make the corrections on its own and incorporate such change into the coverage maps.

(5) Once a challenge containing all the required elements is submitted in the online portal, the location shall be identified on the coverage maps as “in dispute/pending resolution.”

(6) If the parties are unable to reach consensus within 60 days after submission of the provider's reply in the portal, then the affected provider shall report the status of efforts to resolve the challenge in the online portal, after which the Commission, will . After the affected provider reports on the status of these efforts (including any amended report submitted prior to the 60-day deadline), the Commission shall have 90 days to review the evidence and make a determination, either:

(i) In favor of the challenger, in which case the provider shall update its Digital Opportunity Broadband Data Collection information within 30 days of the decision; or

(ii) In favor of the provider, in which case the location will no longer be subject to the “in dispute/pending resolution” designation on the coverage maps.

(7) In consumer challenges to availability and coverage map data, a consumer's challenge must make an initial showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a provider's data are inaccurate; a provider must then provide evidence showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that its reported data are accurate.

(8) In challenges to availability and coverage data by governmental (State, local, Tribal), or other entities, the challenger must make a detailed, clear and methodologically sound showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that a provider's data are inaccurate.

(9) For challenges to the Fabric, after a challenge has been filed containing the required information in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the provider will receive a notice of the challenge from the online portal and can respond to the challenge in the online portal, but is not required to do so, and the Commission shall seek to resolve such challenges within 60 days of receiving the challenge filing in the online portal.

(10) Government entities or other entities may file challenges at multiple locations in a single challenge, but each challenge must contain all of the requirements set forth in (d)(1) of this section.

(11) The Commission shall make public information about the location that is the subject of the challenge (including the street address and/or coordinates (latitude and longitude)), the name of the provider, and any relevant details concerning the basis for the challenge.

(e) Mobile service challenge process for consumers. Consumers may submit data to challenge the accuracy of mobile broadband coverage maps. Consumers may challenge mobile coverage data based on lack of service or on poor service quality such as slow delivered user speed.

(1) Consumer challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Name, email address, and mobile phone number of the device on which the speed test was conducted;

(ii) Speed test data. Consumers must use a speed test app that has been designated by the Office of Engineering and Technology, in consultation with the Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, for use in the challenge process. Consumer challenges must include on-the-ground test data that meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, and must also report the timestamp that test measurement data were transmitted to the app developer's servers, as well as the source IP address and port of the device, as measured by the server;

(iii) A certification that the challenger is a subscriber or authorized user of the provider being challenged;

(iv) A certification that the speed test measurements were taken outdoors; and

(v) A certification that, to the best of the person's actual knowledge, information, and belief, the handset and the speed test application are in ordinary working order and all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct.

(2) Consumer speed tests will be used to create a cognizable challenge based on the following criteria:

(i) The smallest challengeable hexagonal cell is a hexagon at resolution 8 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system.

(ii) The download and upload components of a speed test will be evaluated separately.

(iii) A “positive” component is one that records speeds meeting or exceeding the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred (e.g., a positive download component would show speeds of at least 5 Mbps for 4G LTE, and a positive upload component would show speeds of at least 1 Mbps for 4G LTE). A “negative” component is one that records speeds that fail to meet the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred.

(iv) A point-hex shall be defined as one of the seven hex-9s from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system nested within a hex-8.

(v) A point-hex shall be defined as accessible where at least 50% of the area of the point-hex overlaps with the provider's reported coverage data and the point-hex overlaps with any primary, secondary, or local road in the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

(vi) A hex-8 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system shall be classified as challenged if the following three thresholds are met in the hex-8 for either the download or upload components.

(A) Geographic threshold. When there are at least four accessible point-hexes within the hex-8, each must contain two of the same test components (download or upload), one of which is a negative test. The threshold must be met for one component entirely, meaning that a challenge may contain either two upload components per point-hex, one of which is negative, or two download components per point-hex, one of which is negative. The minimum number of point-hexes in which tests must be recorded must be equal to the number of accessible point-hexes or four, whichever number is lower. If there are no accessible point-hexes within a hex-8, the geographic threshold shall not need to be met;

(B) Temporal threshold. A hex-8 cell must include a set of two negative test components of the same type with a time-of-day difference of at least four hours from another set of two negative test components of the same type, regardless of the date of the tests; and

(C) Testing threshold. At least five speed test components of the same type within a hex-8 cell are negative when a challenger has submitted 20 or fewer test components of that type.

(1) When challengers have submitted more than 20 test components of the same type, the following minimum percentage of the total number of test components of that type in the cell must be negative:

(i) When challengers have submitted 21-29 test components, at least 24% must be negative;

(ii) When challengers have submitted 30-45 test components, at least 22% must be negative;

(iii) When challengers have submitted 46-60 test components, at least 20% must be negative;

(iv) When challengers have submitted 61-70 test components, at least 18% must be negative;

(v) When challengers have submitted 71-99 test components, at least 17% must be negative; and

(vi) When challengers have submitted 100 or more test components, at least 16% must be negative.

(2) In a hex-8 with four or more accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 50% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only towards 50% of the threshold. In a hex-8 where there are only three accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 75% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only towards 75% of the threshold.

(3) Once the percentage of negative components of the same type recorded meets the minimum negative percentage required (or for a sample of fewer than 21 components, once there are at least five negative component submitted), no additional tests are required so long as both the geographic and temporal thresholds for a hex-8 have been met.

(vii) A larger, “parent” hexagon (at resolutions 7 or 6) shall be considered challenged if at least four of the child hexagons within such a “parent” hexagon are considered challenged.

(viii) Mobile service providers shall be notified of all cognizable challenges to their mobile broadband coverage maps at the end of each month. Challengers shall be notified when a mobile provider responds to the challenge. Mobile service providers and challengers both shall be notified monthly of the status of challenged areas and parties will be able to see a map of the challenged area and a notification about whether or not a challenge has been successfully rebutted, whether a challenge was successful, and if a challenged area was restored based on insufficient evidence to sustain a challenge.

(3) For areas with a cognizable challenge, providers either must submit a rebuttal to the challenge within a 60-day period of being notified of the challenge or concede and have the challenged area identified on the mobile coverage map as an area that lacks sufficient service.

(4) To dispute a challenge, a mobile service provider must submit on-the-ground test data that meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, (for in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle), or infrastructure data that meets the requirements in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section to verify its coverage map(s) in the challenged area. To the extent that a mobile service provider believes it would be helpful to the Commission in resolving a challenge, it may choose to submit other data in addition to the data initially required, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing (to the extent such data are not the primary option chosen by the provider) or other types of data such as data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software, or spectrum band-specific coverage maps. Such other data must be submitted at the same time as the primary on-the-ground testing or infrastructure rebuttal data submitted by the provider. If needed to ensure an adequate review, the Office of Economics and Analytics may also require that the provider submit other data in addition to the data initially submitted, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing data (to the extent not the option initially chosen by the provider) or data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software (to the extent available in the provider's network). If a mobile provider is not able to demonstrate sufficient coverage in a challenged hexagon, the mobile provider must revise its coverage maps to reflect the lack of coverage in such areas.

(i) A “positive” component is one that records speeds meeting or exceeding the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred (e.g., a positive download component would show speeds of at least 5 Mbps for 4G LTE, and a positive upload component would show speeds of at least 1 Mbps for 4G LTE). A “negative” component is one that records speeds that fail to meet the minimum speeds that the mobile service provider reports as available where the test occurred.

(ii) A point-hex shall be defined as one of the seven nested hexagons at resolution 9 from the H3 standardized geospatial indexing system of a resolution 8 hexagon.

(iii) A point-hex shall be defined as accessible where at least 50% of the area of the point-hex overlaps with the provider's reported coverage data and the point-hex overlaps with any primary, secondary, or local road in the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

(iv) A mobile service provider that chooses to rebut a challenge to their mobile broadband coverage maps with on-the-ground speed test data must confirm that a challenged area has sufficient coverage using speed tests that were conducted during the 12 months prior to submitting a rebuttal. A provider may confirm coverage in any hex-8 cell within the challenged area. This includes any hex-8 cell that is challenged, and also any non-challenged hex-8 cell that is a child of a challenged hex-7 or hex-6 cell. Confirming non-challenged hex-8 cells can be used to confirm the challenged hex-7 or hex-6 cell. To confirm a hex-8 cell, a provider must submit on-the ground speed test data that meets the following criteria for both upload and download components:

(A) Geographic threshold. Two download components, at least one of which is a positive test, and two upload components, at least one of which is a positive test, are recorded within a minimum number of point-hexes within the challenged area, where the minimum number of point-hexes in which tests must be recorded must be equal to the number of accessible point-hexes or four, whichever number is lower. If there are no accessible point-hexes within a hex-8, the geographic threshold shall not need to be met.

(B) Temporal threshold. A hex-8 cell will need to include a set of five positive test components of the same type with a time-of-day difference of at least four hours from another set of five positive test components of the same type, regardless of the date of the test.

(C) Testing threshold. At least 17 positive test components of the same type within a hex-8 cell in the challenged area when the provider has submitted 20 or fewer test components of that type. When the provider has submitted more than 20 test components of the same type, a certain minimum percentage of the total number of test components of that type in the cell must be positive:

(1) When a provider has submitted 21-34 test components, at least 82% must be positive;

(2) When a provider has submitted 35-49 test components, at least 84% must be positive;

(3) When a provider has submitted 50-70 test components, at least 86% must be positive;

(4) When a provider has submitted 71-99 test components, at least 87% must be positive;

(5) When a provider has submitted 100 or more test components, at least 88% must be positive; and

(6) In a hex-8 with four or more accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 50% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only toward 50% of the threshold. In a hex-8 where there are only three accessible point-hexes, if the number of test components of the same type in one point-hex represent more than 75% of the total test components of that type in the hex-8 but still satisfies the geographic threshold, the components in that point-hex will count only toward 75% of the threshold.

(D) Use of FCC Speed Test App or other software. Using a mobile device running either a Commission-developed app (e.g., the FCC Speed Test app), another speed test app approved by OET to submit challenges, or other software provided that the software adopts the test methodology and collects the metrics that approved apps must perform for consumer challenges and that government and third-party entity challenger speed test data must contain (for in-vehicle mobile tests, providers must conduct tests with the antenna located inside the vehicle):

(1) Providers must submit a complete description of the methodologies used to collect their data; and

(2) Providers must substantiate their data through the certification of a qualified engineer or official.

(E) Use of an appropriate device. Using a device that is able to interface with drive test software and/or runs on the Android operating system.

(v) A mobile service provider that chooses to rebut a challenge to their mobile broadband coverage maps with infrastructure data on their own may only do so in order to identify invalid, or non-representative, speed tests within the challenger speed test data. The mobile service provider must submit the same data as required when a mobile provider submits infrastructure information in response to a Commission verification request, including information on the cell sites and antennas used to provide service in the challenged area. A provider may submit only infrastructure data to rebut a challenge if:

(A) Extenuating circumstances at the time and location of a given test (e.g., maintenance or temporary outage at the cell site) caused service to be abnormal. In such cases, a provider must submit coverage or footprint data for the site or sectors that were affected and information about the outage, such as bands affected, duration, and whether the outage was reported to the FCC's Network Outage Reporting System (NORS), along with a certification about the submission's accuracy;

(B) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests are not capable of using or connecting to the radio technology or spectrum band(s) that the provider models for service in the challenged area. In such cases, a provider must submit band-specific coverage footprints and information about which specific device(s) lack the technology or band;

(C) The challenge speed tests were taken during an uncommon special event (e.g., professional sporting event) that increased traffic on the network;

(D)

(1) The challenge speed tests were taken during a period where cell loading was abnormally higher than the modeled cell loading factor. In such cases, providers must submit cell loading data that both:

(i) Establish that the cell loading for the primary cell(s) at the time of the test was abnormally higher than modeled; and

(ii) Include cell loading data for a one-week period before and/or after the provider was notified of the challenge showing as a baseline that the median loading for the primary cell(s) was not greater than the modeled value.

(2) If a high number of challenges show persistent over-loading, staff may initiate a verification inquiry to investigate whether mobile providers have submitted coverage maps based on an accurate assumption of cell loading in a particular area;

(E) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests used a data plan that could result in slower service. In such cases, a provider must submit information about which specific device(s) used in the testing were using such a data plan and information showing that the provider's network did, in fact, slow the device at the time of the test; or

(F) The mobile device(s) with which the challenger(s) conducted their speed tests was either roaming or was used by the customer of a mobile virtual network operator. In such circumstances, providers must identify which specific device(s) used in the testing were either roaming at the time or used by the customer of a mobile virtual network operator based upon their records.

(vi) If the Commission determines, based on the infrastructure data submitted by providers, that challenge speed tests are invalid, such challenge speed tests shall be ruled void, and the Commission shall recalculate the challenged hexagons after removing any invalidated challenger speed tests and consider any challenged hexagons that no longer meet the challenge creation threshold to be restored to their status before the challenge was submitted.

(5) Commission staff will resolve the challenge within 90 days following the 60th day after which the provider is notified of the challenge (i.e., the deadline for submitting challenge rebuttal data), except that, should the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) request supplemental information from a provider after receiving the provider's initial challenge response, the Commission will resolve the challenge within 90 days following the 60th day after which staff request such supplemental data (i.e., 90 days after the deadline for when the supplemental data is due to OEA).

(6) If a mobile service provider that has failed to rebut a challenge subsequently takes remedial action to improve coverage at the location of the challenge, the provider must notify the Commission of the actions it has taken to improve its coverage and provide either on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its improved coverage.

(

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7) After a challenged provider submits all responses and Commission staff determines the result of a challenge and any subsequent rebuttal has been determined:

(i) In such cases where a mobile service provider successfully rebuts a challenge, the area confirmed to have coverage shall be ineligible for challenge until the next biannual broadband availability data filing six months after the later of either the end of the 60-day response period or the resolution of the challenge.

(ii) A challenged area may be restored to an unchallenged state, if, as a result of data submitted by the provider, there is no longer sufficient evidence to sustain the challenge to that area, but the provider's data fall short of confirming the area. A restored hexagon would be subject to challenge at any time in the future as challengers submit new speed test data.

(iii) In cases where a mobile service provider concedes or loses a challenge, the provider must file, within 30 days, geospatial data depicting the challenged area that has been shown to lack sufficient service. Such data will constitute a correction layer to the provider's original propagation model-based coverage map, and Commission staff will use this layer to update the broadband coverage map. In addition, to the extent that a provider does not later improve coverage for the relevant technology in an area where it conceded or lost a challenge, it must include this correction layer in its subsequent filings to indicate the areas shown to lack service.

(

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8) Commission staff are permitted to consider other relevant data to support a mobile service provider's rebuttal of challenges, including on-the-ground data or infrastructure data (to the extent such data are not the primary rebuttal option submitted by the mobile service provider). The Office of Economics and Analytics will review such data when voluntarily submitted by providers in response to challenges, and if it concludes that any of the data sources are sufficiently reliable, it will specify appropriate standards and specifications for each type of data and will issue a public notice adding the data source to the alternatives available to providers to rebut a consumer challenge.

(f) Mobile service challenge process for State, local, and Tribal governmental entities; and other entities or individuals. State, local, and Tribal governmental entities and other entities or individuals may submit data to challenge accuracy of mobile broadband coverage maps. They may challenge mobile coverage data based on lack of service or poor service quality such as slow delivered user speed.

(1) State, local, and Tribal governmental entities and other entity or individual challengers must provide in their submissions:

(i) Government and other entity challengers may use their own software and hardware to collect data for the challenge process. When they submit their data the data must meet the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, except that government and other entity challengers may submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of the device used to conduct a speed test for use in the challenge process instead of the timestamp that test measurement data were transmitted to the app developer's servers, as well as the source IP address and port of the device, as measured by the server;

(ii) A complete description of the methodology(ies) used to collect their data;

(iii) Challengers must substantiate their data through the certification of a qualified engineer or official; and

(iv) If the test was taken in an in-vehicle mobile environment, whether the test was conducted with the antenna outside of the vehicle.

(2) Challengers must conduct speed tests using a device advertised by the challenged service provider as compatible with its network and must take all speed tests outdoors. Challengers must also use a device that is able to interface with drive test software and/or runs on the Android operating system.

(3) For a challenge to be considered a cognizable challenge, thus requiring a mobile service provider response, the challenge must meet the same thresholds specified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(4) For areas with a cognizable challenge, providers either must submit a rebuttal to the challenge within a 60-day period of being notified of the challenge or concede and have the challenged area identified on the mobile coverage map as an area that lacks sufficient service.

(5) To dispute a challenge, a mobile service provider must submit on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its coverage map(s) in the challenged area based on the methodology set forth in paragraph (e)(4) of this section. To the extent that a service provider believes it would be helpful to the Commission in resolving a challenge, it may choose to submit other data in addition to the data initially required, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing (to the extent such data are not the primary option chosen by the provider) or other types of data such as data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software or spectrum band-specific coverage maps. Such other data must be submitted at the same time as the primary on-the-ground testing or infrastructure rebuttal data submitted by the provider. If needed to ensure an adequate review, the Office of Economics and Analytics may also require that the provider submit other data in addition to the data initially submitted, including but not limited to either infrastructure or on-the-ground testing data (to the extent not the option initially chosen by the provider) or data collected from network transmitter monitoring systems or software (to the extent available in the provider's network).

(6) Commission staff will resolve the challenge within 90 days following the 60th day after which the provider is notified of the challenge (i.e., the deadline for submitting challenge rebuttal data), except that, should the OEA request supplemental information from a provider after receiving the provider's initial challenge response, the Commission will resolve the challenge within 90 days following the 60th day after which staff request such supplemental data (i.e., 90 days after the deadline for when the supplemental data is due to OEA).

(7) If a provider that has failed to rebut a challenge subsequently takes remedial action to improve coverage at the location of the challenge, the provider must notify the Commission of the actions it has taken to improve its coverage and provide either on-the-ground test data or infrastructure data to verify its improved coverage.

(

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8) In cases where a mobile service provider concedes or loses a challenge, the provider must file, within 30 days, geospatial data depicting the challenged area that has been shown to lack service. Such data will constitute a correction layer to the provider's original propagation model-based coverage map, and Commission staff will use this layer to update the broadband coverage map. In addition, to the extent that a provider does not later improve coverage for the relevant technology in an area where it conceded or lost a challenge, it must include this correction layer in its subsequent

Digital Opportunity

Broadband Data Collection filings to indicate the areas shown to lack service.

[85 FR 50907, Aug. 18, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 18160, Apr. 7, 2021; 87 FR 21509, Apr. 11, 2022; 89 FR 66267, Aug. 15, 2024]