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Nebraska Farm Bureau challenges FCC mobile broadband map

Nebraska Farm Bureau is challenging a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map showing the extent of mobile broadband service across the country.

Farm Bureau’s Ansley Mick says the coverage map indicates most areas of Nebraska already have sufficient wireless service.

“(But) the feedback we’re getting from Farm Bureau members and other Nebraskans is that that is just not the case, in many areas,” Mick says.

The map, as expected, shows coverage gaps in western Nebraska. But Mick says parts of eastern Nebraska also have gaps in wireless service that are not reflected on the map. The map is important, she says, because the FCC will use it to decide where to allocate federal dollars to expand 4G LTE service. That’s why Farm Bureau is challenging the accuracy of the map and asking Nebraskans to help with the process.

“We’re asking Nebraskans to download an app from the FCC—a speed test—and run those speed tests throughout the day, as many times as you want,” Mick says, “and then send the data that you collect to Nebraska Farm Bureau.”

Mick hopes the data will help prove to the FCC that there are coverage issues in Nebraska beyond those shown on the map.

More details can be found on the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s web site.

AUDIO: Ansley Mick discusses the FCC map issue along with property tax and infrastructure concerns