How to Submit a Location Challenge

The FCC’s National Broadband Map shows individual points that identify buildings or structures – such as a home, apartment or condo building, or small business building – where internet service is, or could be, available.  You can see these points by searching for an address on the National Broadband Map at BroadbandMap.FCC.gov.  These location points are part of a dataset called the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric.

What Are the Points and How Can I Challenge?

When you click on a point on the map, the information about that location will appear on the right.  This information includes the address, whether the location is business or residential (or both), and the number of separate units associated with that location.

If you believe that any of the information about the location is incorrect, you can request a correction to it by filling out the form that appears when you click on the Location Challenge link to the right of the address.

What Do the Different Point Colors Mean?

Each location point shown on the map is color-coded:

Green locations have internet services available to them, based upon the technology and speed filters set to display on the map and as reported by internet service providers.

Red locations do not have internet services available at the applicable technology and speed filters, which you can change by clicking on the Service Filters button on the map.

Gray locations represent buildings or structures that are not likely to use the broadband internet access services typically sold to homes and small businesses; they likely instead use enterprise-grade broadband services.

Purple locations indicate that you are viewing the mobile coverage map. You should select the “Fixed Broadband” tab on the upper right-hand side to submit a Location Challenge.

What Can Be Challenged?

• Address or Unit Count: Information, such as the address or unit count, for the location is incorrect, or there should be an additional address associated with the location.
• Remove a Location: A green or red location point on the map has been demolished or is no longer habitable, is a land formation, or is actually a support structure (e.g., a garage, shed, or barn) or other building that would not have a standalone broadband connection.
• Building Type: A location’s building type is incorrect (for example, a residential building is really a business, or a gray point identified as an Enterprise location is really a home or small business that does not take an enterprise-grade internet service).
• Incorrect Placement on the Map: The wrong location on a parcel is identified as the home or small business structure that has or would have a standalone internet connection– for example, the storage shed on a property, rather than the house, is identified as the point that would have a standalone internet connection.

Filling out the Location Challenge Form

After you select the Location Challenge link on the right-hand side of the location’s address, the form shown below will open.

1. Enter your contact information (your name and email are required so that we can contact you; your phone number is optional).  Click Next.
2. Select the type of challenge you wish to file from the list.  The remaining fields will update based on the type of challenge you select.  Fill out all the required fields.  Click Next.
3. Check the certification box.
4. Click Submit.

 The challenge will then be submitted and processed, and the National Broadband Map will then reflect that a challenge has been filed for the location.  If the challenge is accepted, the revised information about the location will be reflected in a future version of the location data on the map, which is updated every 6 months.

What if the Location is Missing on the Map?

If you believe a location you’re looking for is missing from the map, view the  Fixed Broadband tab within the Location Summary page of the map, zoom to the general area and click on the map where the home or business structure that you believe is missing is located.  A point will appear on the map, and the system will display a small rectangle above the point showing its geographic coordinates, along with a Add a New Location button.

Click on the Add a New Location button.  A warning, like the one shown below, will display if your Add a New Location challenge point is close to a location that already exists.  Please make sure your new location isn’t already on the map.

If you proceed, you will need to complete the Location Challenge steps that appear, as shown below. 

1. Enter your contact information (your name and email are required so that we can contact you; your phone number is optional).  Click Next.
2. Drag the pin on the inset map to more precisely indicate where the home or small business you are trying to add is located.  The point should be on a structure, either one that is visible on the map or one that is too new to show up.  Make sure the pin isn’t on a building that already has a gray dot on it or on a road.
3. Fill in the address for the location.  If the location does not have an address, check the “This location lacks an address” box.
4. Then select from the options to describe the building.  Additional fields will update based on the option selected.  Click Next.
5. Check the certification box.
6. Click Submit.

To learn more about what happens when you submit location challenges, see What to Expect after Filing a Location Challenge.