How to Format a Bulk Fabric Challenge

As part of the Broadband Data Collection (BDC), the public will have the opportunity to submit challenges, or proposed corrections, to the information in the FCC’s Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (Fabric). 

  • Service providers, governments, and other entities can submit bulk challenges to the Fabric in the BDC system.
  • Individuals can submit single-location challenges to the Fabric from the FCC’s National Broadband Map at BroadbandMap.FCC.Gov

Bulk Fabric Challenge Data includes information about a dispute with, or proposed correction to, the Fabric.   

  • Each bulk Fabric challenge data file must contain records of each location being challenged in a Comma Separated Value (CSV) format and match the specification provided in the table below. 
  • All fields must be included in the file upload, and all values must conform to the descriptions, codes, or formats identified for each field.  The file must include a header row where the field names match those listed below. 
  • The FCC and its Fabric contractor, CostQuest, will receive and review the bulk Fabric challenge data. 

Specifications  

Bulk Fabric challenge data must be submitted in the BDC system via file upload and must conform to the specifications detailed below. Each table corresponds to a different category: 

Field 

Data Type 

{Number of 

Characters} 

Example 

Description / Notes 

contact_name 

String 

Jane Broadband 

Full name of the entity’s challenge data contact. 

contact_email 

String 

jane.broadband@ mygovt.gov 

Email address of the entity’s challenge data contact. 

- Value must match valid email address format, e.g.: atom@domain.tld. 

contact_phone 

String 

888-225-5322 

Phone number of the entity’s challenge data contact. 

  • Value is optional and may be null. 
  • Value must match valid U.S. phone number format: 000-000-0000, if not null. 

category_code 

Enumerated Integer 

1 

Code identifying the category or type of Fabric challenge. 

- Value must be one of the following codes: 

  1. –  Missing Broadband Serviceable Location 
  2. –  Incorrect Location Primary Address 
  3. –  Incorrect Location Unit Count 
  4. –  Incorrect Location Building Type Code 
  5. – Location is Not Within Footprint of the Correct Building 
  6. –  Location is Not Broadband Serviceable 
  7. –  Add Supplemental Address 
  8. –  Remove Secondary Address

location_id 

String 

1000001234 

Unique identifier of the location from the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric dataset. 

- Value must be null if category_code value is 1 or 8 but is required for all other category_code values. 

address_ primary 

String 

45 L St NE 

Street number, street name, and any applicable prefix or suffix of the first address line (primary address) of the location. This is the address the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is required either if category_code value is 7 or if category_code value is 1 or 2 and bsl_lacks_address_flag value is 0. 
  • Value must be null either if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, or 6, or 8, or if category_code value is 1 or 2 and bsl_lacks_address_flag value is 1. 

city 

String 

Washington 

Full name of the city, town, municipality, or census designated place associated with address the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 1, 2, or 7. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8. 

state 

String 

{2} 

DC 

Two-letter USPS abbreviation identifying the state or territory associated with address the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 1, 2, or 7. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8. 

zip_code 

String 

{5} 

20002 

Five-digit USPS ZIP code associated with address the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is required either if category_code value is 7 or if category_code value is 1 or 2 and bsl_lacks_address_flag value is 0. 
  • Value is optional and may be null if category_code value is 1 or 2 and bsl_lacks_address_flag is 1. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8. 

zip_code_suffix 

String 

{4} 

 

Four-digit USPS ZIP+4 code suffix, if applicable, associated with address the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is optional and may be null. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8. 

unit_count 

Integer 

1 

Count of units that the challenger believes to be correct for the location. 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 1 or 3. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. 

building_type_ code 

Enumerated String 

{1} 

B 

Enumerated character identifying the building type the challenger believes to be correct for the location. A building type challenge may be based on the type of broadband service made available, or subscribed to, at the location. 

- Value must be one of the following codes:  

B – Business-only location 

R –  Residential-only location 

X – Business and Residential location  

G – Group Quarters location 

C – Community Anchor Institution  

E – Enterprise location 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 1 or 4. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 8. 

non_bsl_code 

Enumerated String 

{1} 

L 

Enumerated character identifying the reason the challenger believes a structure should not be considered a Broadband Serviceable Location. 

- Value must be one of the following codes: 

S – Location is a K-12 school, junior college, university (a Community Anchor Institution) that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

L – Location is a library (a Community Anchor Institution) that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

G – Location is a government building (a Community Anchor Institution) that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

H – Location is a healthcare building (a Community Anchor Institution) that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

F – Location is a public safety location (a Community Anchor Institution like Fire or EMS locations) that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

E – This is an enterprise location that does/would not subscribe to a mass market service 

P –  Location lacks any source for electric power 

and should be removed from the Fabric entirely  

N – Location no longer exists and should be 

removed from the Fabric 

R – This is a location that does not require a network connection for another reason and should be removed from the Fabric 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 6. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8. 

bsl_lacks_address_flag 

Boolean Integer 

0 

Boolean integer flag indicating whether the challenger believes the Broadband Serviceable Location lacks an address. 

- Value must be one of the following codes: 

 0 –  False 

 1 –  True 

  • Value is required if category_code value is 1 or 2. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. 

latitude 

Decimal (10,7) 

38.903693 

Unprojected (WGS-84) geographic coordinate latitude in decimal degrees that the challenger believes is correct for the location. 

  • Value must have minimum precision of 6 decimal digits. 
  • Value is required if category_code value is 1 or 5. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 or 8. 

longitude 

Decimal (10,7) 

-77.009682 

Unprojected (WGS-84) geographic coordinate longitude in decimal degrees that the challenger believes is correct for the location. 

  • Value must have minimum precision of 6 decimal digits. 
  • Value is required if category_code value is 1 or 5. 
  • Value must be null if category_code value is 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 or 8. 

 

address_id 

 

Integer 

327752417

Unique ID of the supplemental address
for the location in the current
Broadband Serviceable Location
Fabric's Secondary Addresses dataset.

  • Value is required if category_code
    value is 8.
  • Value must be null if category_code
    value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.

 

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