BDC Certification Requirements

Corporate Officer 

Each BDC filing must include a certification signed by a corporate officer of the provider.  The corporate officer must certify that she or he has examined the information contained in the submission and that, to the best of the officer’s actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct.   

Qualified Engineer

In addition, each BDC filing must include a certification of the accuracy of the submission by a qualified engineer.  That certification states that the engineer is employed by the provider and has direct knowledge of, or responsibility for, the generation of the provider’s BDC filing.  The engineer also must certify that he or she has examined the information contained in the submission and that, to the best of the engineer’s actual knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct, and in accordance with the service provider’s ordinary course of network design and engineering. 

If the certifying corporate officer of the provider is also an engineer and has the requisite knowledge required under the Broadband DATA Act, the provider may submit a single certification that fulfills both certification requirements (the corporate officer certification and engineering certification). 

A qualified engineer certifying a BDC filing must be one of the following:  

1. A certified Professional Engineer; 
2. A corporate engineering officer with at least a Bachelor of Science in engineering (BSE) degree who has direct knowledge of, and responsibility for, the carrier’s network design and construction in order to certify that the BDC submission is in accordance with the service provider’s ordinary course of network design and engineering; or 
3. As a result of the 2022 Limited Waiver and its 2023 Extension, an “otherwise qualified engineer,” means an engineer with either: 
   1. A bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in electrical engineering, electronic technology, or another similar technical discipline, and at least seven years of relevant experience in broadband network design and/or performance, or  
   2. Specialized training relevant to broadband network engineering and design, deployment, and/or performance, and at least ten years of relevant experience in broadband network engineering, design, and/or performance. 

Waiver for “Otherwise Qualified Engineer” 

If you wish to have your BDC filing certified by an “otherwise qualified engineer,” check the appropriate box indicating this in the Certifying Engineer section of the Certification form for your biannual BDC submission in the BDC system.   

Further, if you have your BDC filing certified by an “otherwise qualified engineer,” you must preserve (for the applicable BDC “as-of” filing date) “additional network information” and be able to submit such information to the Commission upon request.  This information varies depending on the type of service you provide.  The specifications for the data that must be maintained can be found in the Data Specifications for Provider Infrastructure Data in the Challenge, Verification, and Audit Processes at: https://us-fcc.app.box.com/v/bdc-infrastructure-spec.   Additional information on the data that must be maintained can be found in paragraphs 17-20 of the Limited Waiver Extension at https://www.fcc.gov/document/waiver-bdc-engineering-certification-extended-conditions. 

Note that all BDC submissions, including those certified by an “otherwise qualified engineer,” must still have a corporate officer certification.   

For more information, please refer to: 

• the 2022 Declaratory Ruling and Limited Waiver at: https://www.fcc.gov/document/declaratory-ruling-and-waiver-engineering-certification.  
• the 2023 Limited Waiver Extension at: 
  https://www.fcc.gov/document/waiver-bdc-engineering-certification-extended-conditions. 
• Broadband Data Collection, Data Specifications for Provider Infrastructure Data in the Challenge, Verification, and Audit Processes   
  https://us-fcc.app.box.com/v/bdc-infrastructure-spec. 
• Sample files:
  • 1.1 and 2.2.3 – Mobile and Fixed Wireless Provider Base Station Location and Height: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/base-station-location-height
  • 1.2 and 2.2.4 – Mobile and Fixed Wireless Provider Base Station Carriers: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/base-station-carriers
  • 1.3 and 2.2.5 – Mobile and Fixed Wireless Provider Base Station Loading Data: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/base-station-loading
  • 1.7 – Mobile Provider TMS Data: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/mobile-tms-data
  • 1.8 – Mobile Provider Link Budget Parameters: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/mobile-lb-parameters
  • 1.9 – Mobile Provider Hexagon-Base Station-Link Budget Association: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/hexagon-base-station-lb
  • 2.1.1 – Fixed Wireline Distribution Hub Locations: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/fixed-hub-locations
  • 2.1.2 – Fixed Wireline Access Node Locations: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/fixed-hub-locations
  • 2.2.1 – Fixed Wireless Propagation Model Details: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/SampleFixedWirelessPropModDt
  • 3.1 – Satellite System Information: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/satellite-system-info
  • 3.2 – Satellite Space Station Orbital Shell Information: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/space-station-orbital-shells
  • 3.3 – Satellite System Link Budget Parameters: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/satellite-system-lb-parameters
  • 3.4 – Satellite System Capacity Information: https://us-fcc.box.com/v/satellite-system-capacity-info