Broadband Data Improvement Act

The Broadband Data Improvement Act ("BDIA") requires the Commission to include an international comparison in its annual section 706 report.This webpage presents information related to the International Bureau's efforts to gather and analyze data and information required by the BDIA.
SUMMARY
The BDIA requires the Commission to collect and examine data on the extent of broadband service capability in other countries as part of its annual consideration of whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans on a reasonable and timely basis (the Section 706 Report ). To fulfill this mandate, the BDIA requires the Commission to compare the extent of broadband service capability (including data transmission speeds and price for broadband service capability) in a total of 75 communities in at least 25 countries abroad for each of the data rate benchmarks for broadband service utilized by the Commission to reflect different speed tiers.
The BDIA directs the Commission to choose international communities comparable to U.S communities with respect to population size, population density, topography, and demographic profile, and include a geographically diverse selection of countries; and communities including the capital cities of such countries. Congress also has mandated that as part of the international comparison, the Commission identify a number of specific similarities and differences in each community, including their market structures, the number of competitors, the number of facilities-based providers, the types of technologies deployed by such providers, the applications and services those technologies enable, the regulatory model under which broadband service capability is provided, the types of applications and services used, business and residential use of such services, and other media available to consumers.
In August 2010, the International Bureau released the first International Broadband Data Report (IBDR) and a public notice seeking comment on what improvements can be made to the data and analysis used in the 2010 IBDR to make next year's IBDR more useful, particularly for policymakers.
LEGISLATION For the full text of the BDIA, click here
Related Documents
Comment sought on Improving International Comparisons required by the Broadband Data Improvement Act Acrobat
International Comparison Requirements Pursuant to the Broadband Data Improvement Act; International Broadband Data Report Presented data and information on international broadband service capability pursuant to Section 1303 of the Broadband Data Improvement Act Report Acrobat Appendix C Excel Appendix D Excel
Bureaus Seek Comment on International Comparison and Consumer Survey Requirements in the Broadband Data Improvement Act. Public Notice: Word  PDF  Text
The International Bureau sent letters to thirty-seven countries requesting assistance with our collection of international data for the BDIA. Letters: Search ECFS for letters in Docket 09-47.