Commission Publishes Additional Resources Regarding Areas Potentially Eligible for Connect America Funding
Federal Communications Commission
Published: August 29, 2014
The Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis have released an update to the Connect America Phase II- Initial Eligible Areas Map, in order to assist parties interested in determining the eligibility of areas for Connect America funding. The update incorporates a feature to download geospatial files for a selected Census Tract, or County. The downloaded file is specifically for use with desktop mapping software to display eligible census blocks, which should help users investigate potential areas for rural broadband experiments and assist parties participating in the Phase II challenge process.
In order to utilize this new feature, users should visit the map at http://www.fcc.gov/maps/fcc-connect-america-fund-phase-ii-initial-eligible-areas-map. Once the map is zoomed in to an area of interest using the zoom controls on the map, the download options will appear by clicking on the map. The information in the right side of the map will indicate the selected census tract and county, as well as cost model details. File format options for download can be selected from the County of Census Tract menu; Shapefile, geoJSON, KML, and CVS options are available.
In addition, answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the Rural Broadband Experiments have been posted on the rural broadband experiments homepage at http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0822/DOC-328977A1.pdf. For more general information about the Connect America Fund, please see http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/connecting-america.
To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0432 (tty).
For further information regarding the geospatial files, please contact Eric Spry, Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, at 202-418-2030. For further information regarding the FAQs, please contact Ian Forbes, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireless Competition Bureau at 202-418-7400; or at TTY 202-418-0484.