How to Format Bulk Fixed Challenge and Crowdsource Data

Updated October 11, 2024 12:00

Choose a Methodology

To submit bulk fixed availability challenge or crowdsourced data, all entities must first complete a web form indicating the methodology used to collect the data. The format of the data file to upload varies slightly depending on the methodology. The three methodology options are:

Knowledge of Infrastructure
Information Collected from Individual Consumers
Other

For more information about these methodologies, please see the "Overview of Bulk Fixed Availability Challenges” and “Overview of Bulk Fixed Availability Crowdsource Data” articles.

Format the Data File for Upload

You must create a separate file for each provider that is the subject of the challenge or crowdsource data. Each file must contain no more than 250,000 rows.

The table below lists the data you must include when submitting Bulk Fixed Availability Challenge or Crowdsource data. Note that the first three fields should only be included if using Methodologies 2 (Information Collected from Individual Consumers) or 3 (Other).

A few additional things to note about the data file:

It must be submitted in Comma Separated Value (CSV) format.
It must include the header row.
It must contain records for each location about which challenge/crowdsource information is being submitted, and the location must be identified using the Location ID shown on the National Broadband Map and used in the Broadband Service Location Fabric.
Use the vintage of the Fabric associated with the fixed availability data about which challenge/crowdsource information is being submitted.
Include only one Provider ID. To challenge multiple providers, they must be in separate submissions.
To submit challenge/crowdsource data about a particular location for more than one reason, enter an additional record for that location_id and enter the additional category_code associated with that location.

Field	Data Type	Example	Description/Notes
contact_name	String	Jane Broadband	Full name of the individual contact associated with the challenge at the location - Omit field if using Methodology 1
contact_email	String	Jane.broadband@fcc.gov	Email address of the individual contact associated with the challenge at the location. - Value must match valid email address format, e.g.: atom@domain.tld. - Omit field if using Methodology 1
contact_phone	String	888-225-5322	Phone number of the individual contact associated with the challenge at the location. - Value is optional and may be null. - Value must match valid US phone number format: 000-000-0000, if not null. - Omit field if using Methodology 1
provider_id	Integer	900104	Unique identifier for the fixed service provider about which challenge or crowdsource data is being submitted. One provider ID allowed per submission.
brand_name	String	Acme Broadband	Brand name of the service, as shown on the Broadband Map, about which challenge or crowdsource data is being submitted.
technology	Integer	50	Code for the technology of the fixed broadband service, as shown on the Broadband Map, about which challenge or crowdsource data is being submitted. - Value must be one of the following codes: 10 – Copper Wire 40 – Coaxial Cable / HFC 50 – Optical Carrier / Fiber to the Premises 60 – Geostationary Satellite 61 – Non-geostationary Satellite 70 – Unlicensed Terrestrial Fixed Wireless 71 – Licensed Terrestrial Fixed Wireless 72 - Licensed-by-Rule Terrestrial Fixed Wireless 0 – Other
bizrescode	Enumerated Text	R	Enumerated character identifying whether the service in the area is business-only, residential-only, or offered to both business and residential customers. Value entered must be one of the following codes: B – Business-only service R – Residential-only service X – Business and Residential service
location_id	String	1357135307	Unique identifier for the location, from the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric, subject to the fixed broadband availability challenge or crowdsource data.
data_vintage	Date	2022-06-30	Vintage date of fixed broadband availability data about which challenge or crowdsource data is being submitted. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD - Value must correspond to the most recent as-of date of the fixed broadband availability data published on the map National Broadband Map.
category_code	Enumerated	5	Code identifying the category or reason for the fixed availability challenge or crowdsource data being submitted for that location. - Value must be one of the following codes: 1 – Provider can connect the location but not within 10 business days of a request. 2 –Provider did not install the service at the agreed-upon time. 3 – Provider requested more than the standard installation fee to connect the location. 4 – Provider does not offer any service at this location, including with the selected technology. 5 – Provider does not offer the selected technology for purchase at, or reported the wrong technology for, this location. 6 – The reported maximum advertised speeds are not available for purchase at this location from this provider and technology. 7 – The actual speed of the service does not match its advertised speed (Bulk Crowdsource only). 8 – No wireless or satellite signal is available at this location. 9 – Provider needs to construct new, non-standard equipment is required to connect this location. 10 - Missing Provider. - Value may not be 8 or 9 unless technology value is 60, 61, 70, 71, or 72. - Values 7 and 10 may only be entered for bulk fixed crowdsource data and cannot be used in a challenge.
offered_install_date	Date	2024-01-05	Date the provider indicated it could install the broadband connection with the reported technology and speed. - Value is required if category_code value is 1. - Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD.
actual_install_date	Date	2024-01-05	Date the provider actually installed the broadband connection with the reported technology and speed. - Value may be null if category_code value is 1 or 2. - Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD.
sched_install_date	Date	2024-01-05	Date the provider was scheduled to install the broadband connection with the reported technology and speed. - Value is required if category_code value is 2. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD.
waitlist	Enumerated Integer	0	Indicate whether the provider put the individual requesting service on a waitlist. - Value must be one of the following codes: 0 – No, not put on waitlist 1 – Yes, put on waitlist - Value may be null if category_code value is 1. - Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10.
install_fee	Decimal	5100.50	Enter the non-standard fee (which would include, e.g., an additional amount to run cabling or install equipment beyond a typical service installation fee) that the provider indicated it would charge to install a broadband connection at this location. - Value required if category_code value is 3. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must be a number with a maximum of two decimal digits.
denied_method_code	Enumerated Integer	3	Enter the communication method by which the challenger became aware that no broadband service is available from the provider at the location. - Value is required if category_code value is 4. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must be one of the following codes: 1 – Email 4 – Phone – live representative 5 – Phone – automated 6 – Website – address/location lookup tool 7 – Website – real-time chat tool 8 – Website – other 9 – In person / at a store 0 – Other
other_tech	Integer	10	Code for the other broadband technology that the provider offers at, or indicated it could connect at, this location, if known. - Value may be null if category_code value is 5. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must be one of the following codes: 10 – Copper Wire 40 – Coaxial Cable / HFC 50 – Optical Carrier / Fiber to the Premises 60 – Geostationary Satellite 61 – Non-geostationary Satellite 70 – Unlicensed Terrestrial Fixed Wireless 71 – Licensed Terrestrial Fixed Wireless 72 – Licensed by Rule Fixed Wireless 0 – Other - Value cannot equal the code entered in technology.
advert_download_speed	Integer	50	If the speeds the provider reported are not available for purchase at this location using the selected technology, enter the highest download speed the provider advertises for sale at this location, rounded to the nearest whole number. - Value is required if category_code value is 6. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must be an integer >= 0.
advert_upload_speed	Integer	5	If the speeds the provider reported are not available for purchase at this location using the selected technology, enter the highest upload speed the provider advertises for sale at this location, if known, rounded to the nearest whole number. - Value may be null if category_code value is 6. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, or 10. - Value must be an integer >= 0.
signal_test_date	Date	2024-05-01	If the provider cannot connect this location because the wireless or satellite signal cannot be received here and signal testing was performed, enter the date that signal testing was performed. - Value may be null if category_code value is 8 or 9. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD.
signal_test_result	Enumerated Integer	2	If the provider cannot connect this location because the wireless or satellite signal cannot be received here and signal testing was performed, enter the result of the testing. - Value must be one of the following codes: 1 – No signal 2 – Signal too poor to connect 0 – Other - Value may be null if category_code value is 8 or 9. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10.
equipment	Text	Tall pole with attached receiver	Description of the new, non-standard equipment required to connect this location with a wireless or satellite broadband technology. - Value is required if category_code value is 9. - Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 8.
request_date	Date	2023-12-01	As relevant, enter the most recent date associated with the category_code above, such as the date a service request was denied, the date of a provider communication, or the date the filer became aware of the circumstances. If there are multiple dates associated with this, enter the most recent. - Value is required if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 or 10. - Value may be null if category_code value is 5, 6, 7 or 10. - Value must match valid ISO-8601 date format, e.g.: YYYY-MM-DD
request_method_code	Enumerated Integer	1	As relevant, enter the communication method associated with the category_code and request_date above, such as how information was communicated, how a service request was denied or how the filer otherwise became aware of the circumstances. If there are multiple methods associated with this, enter the most recent. - Value must be one of the following codes: 1– Email 2– Phone – live representative 3 – Phone – automated 4 – Website – address/location lookup tool 5 – Website – real-time chat tool 6 – Website – other 7 – In person / at a store 0- Other - Value is required for all category_code values.
rep_name	Text	Jane Doe	If request_method_code is 4 or 9, enter the name, if known, of the person at the provider who communicated the information about the challenged service, if known. - Value may be null if request_method_code is 4, 9, or 0. - Value must be null if request_method_code is 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
conf_number	Text	1X000975	Enter the confirmation number, given by the provider, associated with the challenge category_code, to the extent relevant and if known. - Value may be null.
evidence_description	String		Narrative description of the evidence in support of the challenge. - Value may be null if using Methodology 1 for a challenge. - Value may be null if submitting bulk fixed crowdsource data.

For more information about formatting the data file for upload, see the Specifications for Bulk Fixed Availability Challenge and Crowdsource Data.

Include an Evidence File if Necessary

In addition to the required CSV file, filers submitting bulk fixed challenge data based on Methodology 1 (Knowledge of Infrastructure) must also upload a separate file that provides evidence to support the fixed availability challenge. At least one evidence file must be submitted for each bulk fixed challenge file. The accepted file formats for the evidence file are: DOC, DOCX, PDF, JPEG, PNG, JSON.

This evidence file is optional for fixed challenge submissions based on Methodologies 2 and 3, but challengers are encouraged to include evidence (such as emails and other correspondence, screenshots, or photos if relevant) that may help to support or corroborate the factual basis of their challenges.

The evidence file is optional for filers of bulk fixed availability crowdsource data, regardless of the methodology used to collect the data.

File Templates:

Methodology 1

Methodologies 2 and 3

Re-Filing a Bulk Challenge

If a bulk fixed availability challenger wishes to re-file a rejected submission with additional evidence, they will need to delete the rejected challenge in the system, read the disclaimer, accept the deletion, and then re-file the challenge with the additional evidence. Please note that deleting the submission means the information is permanently deleted and non-retrievable, so any information from the filing that is needed should be captured before deleting it.

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