FCC Rolls Out New Super-Accurate Broadband Map for Rural Areas
Published Date: 3/5/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting April 4, 2025, the FCC will use a new, super-accurate map called the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric to check if internet providers are meeting their service promises in rural and high-cost areas. This change affects companies getting government support to bring broadband to tough-to-reach places and helps make sure more people get connected. It also updates how the FCC adjusts service locations for several funding programs, aiming for better accuracy and faster fixes.
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 3 costs, 2 mixed.
FCC adopts Fabric for verification
Starting April 4, 2025, the FCC will use the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (the Fabric) as its primary dataset to verify whether high-cost support recipients met broadband deployment obligations and to adjust location obligations for several funding programs.
RDOF revised totals: December 2026 Fabric
The Bureau will use the Fabric version available to licensees as of December 31, 2026 (the December 2026 Fabric) to recalculate and announce revised RDOF location totals so that revised totals can be adopted prior to the sixth-year RDOF milestone (December 31, 2027). Carriers should file Fabric challenges during the six-monthly releases between December 2024 and June 2026 so those challenges can be reflected.
RDOF moves to location-list obligations
Once revised RDOF location totals are adopted, the Bureau will transition RDOF obligations from area-based (all locations in eligible census blocks) to a specific location-list basis: the Bureau's adopted list of BSLs will be the locations each RDOF carrier is required to serve and carriers must report Location IDs in HUBB filings.
Extra locations: 35% support rule
If a carrier's revised location total exceeds its original CAM-estimated total by more than 35%, the Bureau will provide increased support for the additional locations on a pro rata basis using the original CAM-estimated average support per location.
Fewer locations: 65% reduction rule
If a carrier's revised location total is less than 65% of its CAM-estimated location total, the Bureau will reduce the carrier's support pro rata by the number of locations that bring the total below the 65% threshold.
HUBB validation and early close-out option
A carrier that demonstrates via the latest Fabric that it has served all existing locations in eligible census blocks prior to the sixth-year milestone may request verification and, if validated, close out its letter of credit; the Bureau will not routinely withhold a percentage of support from such carriers.
Group quarters excluded from counts
When the FCC recalculates location totals using the Fabric, it will exclude group quarters (the Fabric currently includes them) from revised location totals, consistent with prior high-cost support calculations.
Parcel/census boundary rule (7.6 m)
If a building's broadband serviceable location (BSL) sits outside an eligible census block (even if the parcel is partially inside), that BSL will not count toward a carrier's location total; the Bureau will also account for a 7.6-meter HUBB buffer when reconciling HUBB and Fabric data for A‑CAM carriers.
Requests to remove unreasonable locations
Carriers that want locations removed from their revised location totals because those locations are ineligible or unreasonable to serve must first successfully challenge the location through the Fabric (BDC challenge process) and file any removal requests within six months of the Bureau announcing revised location totals; the Bureau will review such requests case-by-case.
Simplified Fabric certification for PR/USVI funds
For the Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, the Bureau will use Fabric data to simplify location adjustments: support recipients will submit a certification in ECFS that they reviewed the Fabric and that there are more or fewer locations than their estimated totals.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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