Broadband Mapping
What is the Missouri Broadband Map?
The Missouri Broadband Map is a powerful tool provided by the Missouri Broadband Office that allows residents, government representatives, internet service providers, and others to visualize and understand broadband coverage across the state. The map provides a representation of previously funded projects through various State and Federal broadband programs and broadband availability for each home, business, and other serviceable locations in Missouri.
The map classifies locations as:
- Served
- Underserved
- Unserved
- BEAD Eligible (unserved and underserved locations where no provider is receiving funding to extend service and no provider reported that they would bring service by December 31, 2024)
- Non-BEAD Eligible (Served, funded to get service, or provider reported they will bring service by December 31, 2024)
- Mapping FAQ
What if my address isn't on the map?
The addresses displayed on the map are representative of the Broadband Fabric derived by the FCC are available at https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home. If your address is not displayed, it is possible that it is not a known Broadband Serviceable location. The broadband office encourages anybody aware of a missing location to file a challenge to the FCC map directly. If you are not able to file a challenge through this process, contact broadband@ded.mo.gov.
What if the speeds or technologies displayed at my address don't match to what is actually available?
Under the federal rules governing the BEAD program, the broadband office must freeze the map before it can begin the process of selecting which internet service provider receives these awards. As this selection process has begun, it is not possible to make any further amendments to the map that add new eligible locations. Addresses appearing ineligible may still receive new service due to the BEAD program in areas where the awarded provider would need to build infrastructure passing the address to reach eligible locations. While there would be no legal obligation to extend service to any ineligible address, providers will be incentivized to acquire customers that could be served by the new network.
It may be possible that the speeds or technologies at your address have been updated in the FCC map after the BEAD challenge process, in some cases differing from the data in this map. To check if the service has been corrected and whether new service option(s) have been reported at your address, the FCC map is available at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. The broadband office encourages anybody aware of discrepancies on the FCC broadband map to file a challenge to the FCC map directly. To also flag the issue with the state broadband office, you can share the challenge ID you receive from filing the FCC challenge to allow the office to identify the information by contacting broadband@ded.mo.gov.
How can I download the underlying location data in the map?
Location data is based on the FCC Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (version 3.2). BSL Fabric data is displayed on the map under the CostQuest license agreement. Under the terms of OBD’s license with CostQuest Associates, the office cannot allow downloads of the fabric used to generate maps or otherwise make them available to unlicensed third parties. Parties interested in analyzing this data using their internal GIS resources will need to apply for a license at apps.costquest.com/NTIArequest.
The BEAD location eligibility data in the map is available for download in the reports provided further down on this web page under the BEAD Challenge Results heading (csv format). To map this data to specific coordinates and addresses, GIS software and the location fabric license referenced above are required.
BEAD Challenge Results
The goal of the BEAD challenge process was to improve the Missouri Broadband Map so OBD has the most accurate map possible to use to make funding decisions. Through the Missouri Broadband Map, challengers were able to provide information indicating that locations should or should not be eligible for funding. The window for filing challenges opened March 25, 2024, and closed on May 8, 2024.
BEAD State Challenge Process results received NTIA approval on November 22, 2024. Final versions of the actual data submissions provided to the NTIA as part of challenge process reporting, and challenge process summaries are available below. Challenge process summary files can be compared in format to the pre-challenge files (“Funding summary”, “Pre-challenge Summary” and “Location status”) and post-challenge files published before all curing was completed (“Post-Challenge Location Status”, “Post-Challenge Funding Summary”, “Challenge Summary”) under the “Dataset Downloads” heading in the “Challenge Process Archive” section below.
Download Final Data Submissions
Download Full Challenge Summaries
Challenge Process Archive
- Overview of Challenge Process Phases
Publication of Eligible Locations
OBD has posted the final set of locations eligible for BEAD funding. Eligible locations consist of ‘unserved’ and ‘underserved’ locations outside of existing federal or state funded areas. This data is sourced from the FCC’s National Broadband Map and NTIA’s National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM). Additionally, the office has published locations that are served, including funded areas, as they may be challenged. This dataset is viewable in the Missouri Broadband Map and downloadable in the Dataset Downloads section below.
Challengers are encouraged to use this time to register in the Missouri Broadband Map, review the classification of BSLs, identify the ones they plan to challenge, and gather the necessary evidence to submit a challenge.
Challenge Phase
During this phase, eligible entities (i.e. local governments, nonprofit organizations, and internet service providers) may submit challenges through the Missouri Broadband Map, and members of the public will be able to submit evidence that could substantiate challenges. Challenges must include evidentiary support of each challenge based on the evidence documentation provided in the state’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I. The Challenge Phase will be open for 30 calendar days.
As evidence pertaining to a challenge is reviewed and accepted, the public-facing map will update to indicate that the location is in a challenged state. Once the challenge has been sustained or rejected, the location’s status will be updated on the map to indicate the new service categorization (Served, Underserved, or Unserved). This capability allows all stakeholders to stay informed throughout the lifecycle of the challenge process.
Deadlines are a critical element of the BEAD Process: It is recommended to submit challenges early. If any errors exist, there will be an opportunity to re-submit, but only within the Challenge Phase window. No changes will be accepted after the 30-day Challenge Phase window. The Challenge Phase will run from Mar. 25 to Apr. 23, 2024.
Rebuttal Phase
Each challenge will have 30 calendar days to be rebutted. This length of time begins at the time of challenge evidence approval by OBD. At the end of the Challenge Phase, an official Rebuttal Phase of 30 calendar days will begin. This phase serves as a buffer and ensures all challenges submitted at the end of the Challenge Phase have ample time to be rebutted. Only rebutters to challenges filed at the end of the challenge phase will have until the end of the rebuttal phase to file their rebuttal. The rebuttal phase will conclude May 23, 2024.
All rebuttals will be reviewed by the OBD to determine if the rebuttal evidence is sufficient. If rebuttal evidence is sufficient, the challenge is rejected. If the rebuttal evidence is not sufficient, the challenge is sustained.
Final Determination Phase
From the date of the rebuttal, each challenge will have 30 calendar days for finalization from the OBD. This length of time is specified in the BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I. Challenge evidence must be fully reviewed by the OBD, and the challenge must be classified as ‘sustained’ or ‘rejected.’ At the end of the Rebuttal Phase, an official Final Determination Phase will begin. This phase serves as a buffer and ensures all rebuttals submitted at the end of the Rebuttal Phase have ample time to be accepted or rejected. In select cases where the submitted challenge and rebuttal evidence does not allow the OBD to determine the presence of service at a reasonable degree of confidence, the Office may choose to send employees or contractors to gather additional evidence. Standards for review for validation evidence will align with standards of review for challenge and rebuttal evidence.
- Challenge Timelines
- Public Evidence Submission
Upon opening the challenge process, members of the public will be able to report locations that lack service and should be eligible for funding through the Missouri Broadband Map.
- How to Report Availability Evidence – This document provides full instructions for the public on submitting availability evidence through the Missouri Broadband Map.
- How to Take a Speed Test – This document provides full instructions for the public on taking a speed test through the Missouri Broadband Map.
- Evidence Criteria - This document outlines the evidence that should be submitted to substantiate a challenge.
- Account Registration
Eligible challengers can request an account in the Missouri Broadband Map (aka Broadband Navigator). Only the following entities are eligible to submit challenges to the State under the BEAD Program federal policy:
- Units of Local and Tribal Governments
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
While not eligible challengers, members of the public will be able to submit evidence that could substantiate challenges as described in the section above.
How to Register for an Account - This document provides full instructions on account registration.
- Instructions on Submitting and Rebutting Challenges
Missouri Broadband Navigator User Guide v2.0 - Full user guide including instructions on Submitting and Rebutting Challenges, Navigator Walkthrough, and more. Update (4/23): Added additional rebuttal information and several updates and clarifications.
Challenge and Rebuttal Evidence Requirements – This spreadsheet outlines the evidence that should be submitted for a challenge or rebuttal by challenge type.
Challenge & Rebuttal Submission Tutorial - Local Governments & Nonprofits
Challenge & Rebuttal Submission Tutorial - ISPs
- BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1
Missouri’s Initial Proposal Volume one lays out the rules governing location-level BEAD eligibility, including the rules that will govern the state challenge process. The version posted here is the final version, with changes from previous documents noted and highlighted. The documents below are required attachments to the Initial Proposal referenced in the text.
- Dataset Downloads
Dataset Downloads
The BEAD location eligibility data in the map is available for download in the following reports (csv format). To map this data to specific coordinates and addresses, GIS software and a location fabric license* are required.
- Location status - indicates how each location appears on the map by location id, with basic availability and funding information about how it reached this point.
- Funding summary - indicates the funding data used in the map, including funded program and brand name, by location id.
- Pre-challenge summary - indicates the pre-challenge modifications made to the map. Location ids with multiple modifications will have a row for each modification.
- Data Dictionary (Pre-Challenge)
- CAI IDs - list of pseudo-location id's, generated for community anchor institutions without an FCC location id, to be able to map these locations to specific coordinates.
Post-Challenge
OBD is releasing the files below to assist broadband stakeholders and members of the public wishing to know more about the results of the state challenge process. They reflect the results submitted to NTIA at the close of the state challenge process in a format designed to help users track the progress of the challenge process over time. Those results will not be final until the submitted challenge results are approved by NTIA. On August 23, 2024, these files were updated to reflect errors in the processing of the data. As a result of this process, 3,187 locations changed their BEAD eligibility status from the previously posted summaries.
- Post-Challenge Location Status - Indicates the eligibility status of the location at the end of the state challenge process and the factors that led OBD to assign it that status.
- Post-Challenge Funding summary - indicates the funding status of funded locations at the end of the state challenge process, including cases where new enforceable commitments were added during the state challenge process and cases where enforceable commitments were removed due to an announced default.
- Challenge Summary - indicates the changes made to the map over the course of the entire challenge process including pre-challenge modifications, challenges, rebuttals, and identified enforceable commitments..
- Data Dictionary (Post-Challenge)
- Cured Locations List - Lists all locations where any of the post-challenge fields changed because of curing posted on August 23, 2024 and provides those fields before and after the curing. Fields before the curing are indicated with the suffix “_old” and fields after the curing are indicated with the suffix “_new”.
*Under the terms of OBD’s license with CostQuest Associates, the office cannot allow downloads of the fabric used to generate maps or otherwise make them available to unlicensed third parties. Parties interested in analyzing this data using their internal GIS resources will need to apply for a license at apps.costquest.com/NTIArequest. More details about this process were provided in a previous OBD Stakeholder Update. The recording can be found at this link. Information about licensing begins at minute mark 36:26.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Application Areas
On October 16, 2024, the Office of Broadband Development (OBD) published draft application areas that will be used as the fundamental unit of applications for BEAD funding in the State of Missouri. Final location classification and application areas were published Nov. 15, 2024, and are available for download below. Results of OBD’s challenge process have received final, formal approval from the NTIA, all discrepancies in eligibility determinations for individual BEAD locations have been resolved. To produce application areas, OBD solicited project areas from potential BEAD participants through the Project Area RFI process. The Application Area Mapping One-Pager linked here, provides more details on how the application areas were produced and other key information.
Supplemental Data
- High-cost areas: For convenience, OBD has made available the NTIA-designated Missouri high-cost areas viewable as a web service linked here and downloadable as a file geodatabase linked here.
- Final data submissions (NTIA-approved November 22, 2024): Final versions of the actual data submissions provided to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as part of challenge process reporting. The formatting for these files should align with data submitted by other state BEAD programs, which may be convenient for applicants working in multiple states. These downloads are available here.
- Possible non-BSLs: Locations that are BEAD-eligible but may not be broadband serviceable locations as defined by the Federal Communications Commission. The BEAD deployment obligation for an application area may be modified to exclude locations determined by OBD and the NTIA to be not serviceable. OBD has published a list of locations that may fall into this category. Publication of this list does not constitute any final determination by OBD or the NTIA about the eligibility or serviceability of these locations. In the absence of a final determination, they will constitute part of the deployment obligation for the subgrantee awarded the associated application area. This list is provided to help applicants in identifying locations that should be removed from BEAD deployment obligations. The list of locations is available here. This list was updated Dec. 5, incorporating additional data sources and aligning the presentation of the data with NTIA guidance. This data is also available for download on an application area basis on for signed-in users on broadbandmap.mo.gov. Applicants will be able to flag any locations they believe fall in this category for OBD's review by submitting documentation as part of their application using the template linked here.
- Potentially funded locations: Locations where projects that would constitute enforceable commitments to extend broadband service are currently under review by a broadband funding agency. The BEAD deployment obligation for a given application area may be modified to exclude locations subject to new enforceable commitments. Publication of this list does not constitute any final determination by OBD or NTIA about the BEAD eligibility of these locations. Should the award not be issued, these locations will constitute part of the deployment obligation for the awarded subgrantee awarded the associated application area. The list of locations is available here.
- Application Area Polygons: Representation of the final application areas as polygons. Ineligible locations within the boundaries of a polygon are not part of the associated application area. Download here.
- Challenge process summaries: Final files summarizing enforceable commitment funding records, challenges, and location status over the course of the Missouri state challenge process. These files can be compared in format to the pre-challenge files (“Funding summary”, “Pre-challenge Summary” and “Location status”) and post-challenge files published before all curing was completed (“Post-Challenge Location Status”, “Post-Challenge Funding Summary”, “Challenge Summary”) under the “Dataset Downloads” heading in the “Challenge Process Archive” section above. A data diction for these files can be found here.
Project Area Submission (RFI) Archive
- Request for Information Overview
The goal of the RFI process is to generate application areas that can be applied for competitively through the BEAD program. The RFI process allows potential BEAD applicants to indicate the geographic scope of projects for which they may apply for BEAD funding by submitting project areas. These project areas will inform the boundaries of BEAD application areas. To generate the application areas, OBD will:
- Create new application areas that can be applied for competitively where multiple submitted project areas overlap
- Split project areas when they cross county lines and the boundaries of NTIA-identified high-cost areas
- Create state-defined application areas where no project areas were submitted
- Consolidate areas when the process above results in very small application areas.
Any eligible BEAD applicant may apply for funding in any application area. This process is designed to allow BEAD applicants to apply for areas that reflect their natural service territories while allowing for competitive applications and accomplishing the goal of extending service to all BEAD-eligible locations.
Submission of project areas through the RFI are not required to apply for BEAD funding, and submission of project areas does not commit the submitting provider to file an application for the submitted area.
- How to Submit
Project area can be submitted in two ways:
- On broadbandmap.mo.gov, logged-in providers will have an option to select the locations that constitute their project area and submit them directly through the portal.
- Potential applicants can also submit project areas as shapefiles at this link.
Project areas should only be submitted using one of the two methods.
- RFI Timelines
Project area submission will be open for 45 days from April 1, 2024.
- Frequently Asked Questions