Manchin, Capito, West Virginia Broadband Office Host Broadband Map Informational Session

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and the West Virginia Broadband Office hosted an informational session for West Virginia community leaders on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new broadband coverage maps, how to check coverage and if it’s incorrect, challenge the maps. The FCC has encouraged all interested parties, including states, communities, and West Virginians, to submit challenges by January 13^th, 2023.

“West Virginia is primed to receive and compete for hundreds of millions of dollars to bring reliable, affordable broadband access to all West Virginians, but only if the broadband coverage maps are correct,” said Senator Manchin. “Because of our bipartisan efforts and years of advocating, West Virginians can now finally search the FCC’s maps to see if they accurately show broadband coverage at an address. Today my staff, along with Senator Capito’s staff and the West Virginia Broadband Office, showed West Virginia community leaders how to utilize the FCC’s maps to determine coverage, and if the map is wrong, submit a direct challenge to the maps. I encourage all West Virginians to check their address on the map to help ensure West Virginia gets our fair share of this critical funding.”

“For years now, I have worked hard to make sure we produce broadband maps that accurately represent the connectivity challenge that we face in West Virginia, especially because they will be a major factor in the distribution of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. While the draft broadband availability maps recently release by the FCC are a step forward, I continue to have concerns regarding their accuracy in West Virginia,” Senator Capito said. “Today’s event was a helpful tool following efforts I’ve led to get the word out about West Virginians’ ability to challenge the FCC’s maps, and use their personal experience to assist in our efforts to close the digital divide.”

 

"Every West Virginian needs to be accurately represented on the FCC National Broadband Map, especially when funding allocations are based upon the map," said Kelly Workman, Director of the WV Office of Broadband. "There are still too many West Virginians that lack broadband connectivity, particularly in our rural communities.  If the map shows technology or speeds that are not truly available at your address, or if your location is missing, please take the opportunity to submit a challenge to the FCC prior to January 13."

 

On November 18^th, the FCC released updated broadband coverage maps. These pre-production map updates are the direct result of years of Senator Manchin and Senator Capito’s work urging the FCC to update their incorrect broadband coverage maps that determine how millions of dollars in funding to expand reliable, affordable broadband coverage for Americans and West Virginians is allocated.