How to Format Fixed Broadband Availability Polygons

Providers of fixed broadband service must choose one format - either tabular (Location List) or polygon (Coverage Map) - to use for all of their fixed broadband availability data in each BDC filing.

If you choose the second option, polygon coverage maps, the data file(s) must contain GIS data with polygon geometries and associated data attributes. The data must be submitted in one of the following GIS data formats:

  • ESRI Shapefile
  • ESRI FileGDB
  • GeoJSON
  • GeoPackage

The required specifications for the data attribute table in the chosen GIS data file are shown below:

Data Attribute Field Data Type Example Description / Notes
providerid Integer 131425

A unique 6-digit code generated by the FCC that identifies each service provider.  The list of Provider IDs is at https://us-fcc.box.com/v/bdcprovideridtable.

When the entity is a service provider, the values in this field can be null and will be ignored, but the field must be included in the file.

brandname Text Verizon Name of the entity or service advertised or offered to consumers.
technology Enumerated Integer 50

Code for the technology used for the deployed service.

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

See Fixed and Mobile Technology Codes for more information.

maxdown Decimal 100.0

Maximum advertised download speed offered in the service area in Mbps as an integer. The system will reject a file if the value in this field is not an integer; it will not round or truncate decimals.

If the service offered has a maximum advertised download speed of less than 25 Mbps paired with an upload speed that is less than 3 Mbps, report using one of the following service tiers:

  1. If the maximum download speed is greater than 200 kbps but less than 10 Mbps and the upload speed is less than 1 Mbps: enter 0. The system will ask the filer to confirm that the service offered falls in this tier.
  2. If the maximum download speed is greater than or equal to 10 Mbps but less than 25 Mbps and the upload speed is greater than or equal to 1 Mbps but less than 3 Mbps: enter 10.

If the service offered has a maximum advertised download speed that is greater than or equal to 25 Mbps and a maximum advertised upload speed that is greater than or equal to 3 Mbps, enter the value of the advertised download speed in Mbps as an integer.

maxup Decimal 10.0

Maximum advertised upload speed, in Mbps, associated with the maximum advertised download speed offered to the location. Enter the value as an integer. The system will reject a file if the value in this field is not an integer; it will not round or truncate decimals.

If the service offered has a maximum advertised upload speed of less than 3 Mbps paired with a maximum advertised download speed that is less than 25 Mbps, report using one of the following service tiers:

  1. If the maximum upload speed is less than 1 Mbps and the download speed is greater than 200 kbps but less than 10 Mbps: enter 0. The system will ask the filer to confirm that the service offered falls in this tier.
  2. If the maximum upload speed is greater than or equal to 1 Mbps but less than 3 Mbps and the download speed is greater than or equal to 10 Mbps but less than 25 Mbps: enter 1.

If the service offered has a maximum advertised upload speed that is greater than or equal to 3 Mbps paired with a maximum advertised download speed that is greater than or equal to 25 Mbps, enter the value of the advertised upload speed in Mbps as an integer.

lowlatency Boolean Integer 1

The offered service is low latency, defined as having round-trip latency of less than or equal to 100 milliseconds based on the 95th percentile of measurements.

Value must be one of the following codes:

0 - False

1 - True

bizrescode Enumerated String {1} B

Enumerated character identifying whether the service at the location is business-only, residential-only, or offered to both business and residential customers.

Value must be one of the following codes:

B - Business-only service

R - Residential-only service

X - Business and Residential service

 

Coverage polygons must only encompass the locations to which the provider either currently provides service or could perform a "standard broadband installation" as defined in the FCC's rules.

Each polygon should represent a unique combination of the following fields: providerid, brandname, technology, maxdown, maxup, lowlatency, and bizrescode.

  • When a service provider reports multiple technologies (or when a governmental or third-party entity reports multiple technologies for an individual service provider), the coverage areas for the different technologies (such as DSL and fiber) can overlap.
  • However, coverage areas for the same technology cannot overlap. If service is offered at different download and upload speeds using the same type of technology, the filer should report the highest speed offered (based on the guidance above). If service is offered at different maximum speeds in different areas, the filer must submit separate polygons representing the coverage areas of those different speeds, but the polygons must not overlap.

 

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