Help Buncombe County Improve Broadband: Review the FCC Broadband Map

Have you been told you’re not eligible for internet service? Review the FCC’s National Broadband Map and file a formal complaint if you believe your home is incorrectly listed as not eligible for service. Please note: all challenges must be received by Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. If you have questions, click here for assistance from the FCC.

Additional information from the FCC:

What can be challenged?

Service is considered available at a location if the provider has, or previously had, a connection in service to the location, or if the provider could initiate service through a routine installation within 10 business days of a request with no extraordinary monetary charges or delays attributable to the extension of the provider’s network. You can submit a challenge based on the following reasons:

• Provider failed to schedule a service installation within 10 business days of a request.
• Provider did not install the service at the agreed-upon time.
• Provider requested more than the standard installation fee to connect this location.
• Provider denied the request for service.
• Provider does not offer the technology reported to be available at this location.
• Provider does not offer the speeds(s) reported to be available at this location.
• Subscribed Speed Not Achievable (Your internet service is not providing the speeds you expect.) These challenges will be treated by the FCC as a consumer complaint.
• No wireless or satellite signal is available at this location.
• Provider needed to construct new equipment at this location.

How to submit an individual availably challenge

Go to the FCC’s National Broadband Map and type your address in the search bar to begin. Then, determine if you need to first submit a Location Challenge by seeing if your address is displayed on the map at all, is incorrectly shown as a business, has the incorrect address or unit count, or has incorrect geographic coordinates. If so, click “Location Challenge” (upper right) to complete the form. Then, proceed the following steps for the Availability Challenge.

• Select the Fixed Broadband tab and then click the Availability Challenge link (mid-right).
• In the window that opens, click “Select” next to the provider whose service you want to challenge.
• Select either (1) “Send my challenge to the selected provider,” which will initiate a challenge against the provider, or (2) “I’m giving feedback about the information above but not submitting a challenge.”
• Enter your contact information - your name and email are required - and your phone number is optional.
• Select the reason code for your challenge. The remaining fields will update based on the type of challenge you select.
• Enter a description and upload any supporting documents or screenshots.
• Check the certification box.
• Click “Submit.”

If you have questions, click here for FCC assistance.