Is Your Internet Slow? The FCC Wants To Hear From You

Consumers now have someone to complain to about slow internet speed as the Federal Communications Commission is taking complaints about poor internet coverage in an effort to improve the service.

The agency announced on its website and on Twitter that it was looking for consumers to share their “broadband experience” as part of its Broadband Data Collection program.

“In today’s world, it is critical that families and businesses across the country have access to broadband,” the FCC said on its website. “As work, education, healthcare, and many other activities have moved online, broadband is no longer nice to have. It’s need to have for everyone.

“In order to better determine where high speed internet services are currently unavailable, we need precise, accurate, and up-to-date broadband mapping data,” it added.

Through the program, internet users will be able to share their first-hand accounts of “broadband availability and service quality” directly with the FCC, which said it is working to “close the digital divide” on internet access.

The FCC publishes broadband data maps on its website and is looking to improve the accuracy of this data with the information it receives from consumers.

The maps were previously updated using self-reporting data from internet service providers, which may not have reflected the most accurate picture of coverage, The Verge reported.

Consumers can share their internet experiences via a form on the FCC website and may receive additional information by email from the FCC as it develops new tools for sharing data with the agency.

The agency’s Broadband Data Task Force will gather the information provided by consumers to build new systems, processes, and supporting materials related to broadband coverage.

The FCC said that through the data collected, it will create maps that “display fixed broadband availability for individual locations and mobile broadband availability with more accuracy.”

The broadband data availability maps will also be used to determine where internet programs should target funding. The agency said it is working to develop these tools as quickly as possible.