A filer must choose one format – location list or polygon – to use for all of its fixed availability data in each BDC filing.
If a filer chooses to submit availability data using the location list format, the file must contain a list of the locations served by a fixed broadband provider. Each location must conform to a location in the FCC's Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric and include a Location ID from the Fabric. To submit a location list, filers must upload a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file in the BDC system that contains the following 8 required fields in the format specified below:
| Field | Header | Data Type | Example | Description / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provider ID | provider_id | 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. |
| Brand Name | brand_name | String | Acme Broadband | Name of the entity or service advertised or offered to consumers |
| Location ID | location_id | Integer | 1000000121 | A unique identifier for the location served. Each Location ID is a 10-digit number starting with one billion. Note that the Location IDs in the preliminary Fabric are different; they will start with a 9 and cannot be submitted in the BDC system. |
| Technology | technology | Integer | 50 |
Code for the technology used for the deployed service. Value must be one of the following codes:
See Fixed and Mobile Technology Codes for more information. |
| Maximum Advertised Download Speed | max_advertised_download_speed | Integer | 1000 |
Maximum advertised download speed offered to the location in Mbps as an integer. The system will reject a file if the value in this field is not an integer and does not meet the requirements below. 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:
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. |
| Maximum Advertised Upload Speed | max_advertised_upload_speed | Integer | 1000 |
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:
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. |
| Latency | low_latency | 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:
|
| Business / Residential Category | business_residential_code | 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:
|
Because a provider could potentially serve an individual location using multiple technologies, each with its own maximum advertised download and upload speeds, latency flag, and business/residential category, a location can be included multiple times. However, each technology offered to an individual location should have only one record for that technology and location combination. The record should include a single maximum download speed, maximum upload speed, latency flag, and business/residential category reported for that technology.
If we were to place the values in the "Example" column from the table above into a comma separated format for upload, they would make a single data row (record) like this:
ABC Broadband,1000000121,50,1000,1000,1,B
This record can be translated as saying that at location 1000000121, ABC Broadband can offer low latency (latency code 1) business-grade (category code B) fiber (technology code 50) internet access with advertised bandwidths of 1000 Mbps downstream and 1000 Mbps upstream.
Additional Resources
Fixed Broadband Availability Location Lists
