PROVIDERS TRY TO FIGHT OFF RELEASE OF DETAILED BROADBAND DATA

摘要

Broadband providers played tug of war with states and public interest groups in comments last week on how the FCC should release combined broadband data based on Form 477 submissions while maintaining confidentiality. Companies asked the commission to protect their deployment and speed information strongly. But others asked the FCC to share as much information as possible with the state bodies and others involved in broadband mapping eligible to see it. The Broadband Data Improvement Act requires the commission to provide aggregated data by census tract. Providers said they could be disadvantaged in competition if the FCC releases overly detailed data or doesn't impose adequate protections of confidentiality. nn" The data culled from Form 477, were it to be made public or available without significant restrictions and disincentives against improper disclosure, could undermine broadband providers' network investments," the Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance and the Organization for the Promotion & Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies said in joint comments. But public-interest groups said the raw Form 477 data submitted by providers are already general enough to protect companies. "Existing regulations require disclosure of data by census tract, which already represents an aggregation of addresses and data," Public Knowledge, Media Access Project and the New America Foundation said in joint comments. "Accordingly, census tract information has already protected the information of providers through aggregation."