Office of Broadband Broadband Availability Mapping

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.    

Publication of Eligible Locations

OBD first 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.  

Challengers were 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) could submit challenges through the Missouri Broadband Map, and members of the public could submit evidence that could substantiate challenges. Challenges had to include evidentiary support of each challenge based on the evidence documentation provided in the state’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I. 

As evidence pertaining to a challenge was reviewed and accepted, the public-facing map was updated to indicate that the location was in a challenged state. Once the challenge has been sustained or rejected, the location’s status was updated on the map to indicate the new service categorization (Served, Underserved, or Unserved). This capability allowed all stakeholders to stay informed throughout the lifecycle of the challenge process.

Deadlines are a critical element of the BEAD Process: It was recommended to submit challenges early. If any errors exist, there was an opportunity to re-submit, but only within the Challenge Phase window. No changes were accepted after the 30-day Challenge Phase window. 

Rebuttal Phase 

Each challenge had 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 began. This phase serves as a buffer and ensures all challenges submitted at the end of the Challenge Phase had ample time to be rebutted. Only rebutters to challenges filed at the end of the challenge phase had until the end of the rebuttal phase to file their rebuttal. 

All rebuttals were reviewed by the OBD to determine if the rebuttal evidence is sufficient. If rebuttal evidence was sufficient, the challenge is rejected. If the rebuttal evidence was not sufficient, the challenge is sustained.

Final Determination Phase

From the date of the rebuttal, each challenge had 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 began. This phase serves as a buffer and ensures all rebuttals submitted at the end of the Rebuttal Phase had ample time to be accepted or rejected.  In select cases where the submitted challenge and rebuttal evidence did not allow the OBD to determine the presence of service at a reasonable degree of confidence, the Office chose 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. 

During the challenge process, members of the public were able to report locations that lacked service and should have been eligible for funding through the Missouri Broadband Map. The challenge process is now closed (see Mapping FAQ above). 

• 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.

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:

1. Units of Local and Tribal Governments
2. Nonprofit Organizations
3. Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

While not eligible challengers, members of the public were 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. 

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

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.

• Broadband Funding Sources Approved
• CAI Approved
• Deduplication Programs Approved
• Underserved Approved
• Unserved Approved

Dataset Downloads

Note: For the most up-to-date on BEAD eligibility and challenge process results, refer to the files listed under the Application Areas heading. 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.

Challenge Process Frequently Asked Questions

The goal of the RFI process was to generate application areas that can be applied for competitively through the BEAD program. The RFI process allowed 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: 

1. Created new application areas that can be applied for competitively where multiple submitted project areas overlap
2. Split project areas when they cross county lines and the boundaries of NTIA-identified high-cost areas
3. Created state-defined application areas where no project areas were submitted
4. Consolidated 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 was 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 was 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. 

Project area can be submitted in two ways:

1. On broadbandmap.mo.gov, logged-in providers had an option to select the locations that constitute their project area and submit them directly through the portal.
2. Potential applicants can also submit project areas as shapefiles at this link.

Project areas should only be submitted using one of the two methods.

Project area submission was scheduled to be open 45 days from April 1, 2024.

Project Area Submission (RFI) Frequently Asked Questions