BDO Map: Frequently asked questions

Purpose of Collecting TX ISP Broadband Serviceable Location Data

The Broadband Development Office (BDO), operated by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, awards grants, low-interest loans and other financial incentives to internet service providers who expand access to broadband service in unserved and underserved areas in Texas. The BDO also provides a variety of tools and resources supporting the expansion of broadband access across Texas.

In accordance with Government Code Section 490I.0105, the BDO is also tasked with creating, updating and publishing a statewide broadband service availability map for the state of Texas. The map will divide the state into “designated areas” and classify each area as eligible or ineligible for broadband funding through the BDO. The classification depends on the percent of the addresses in the designated area that have and do not have access to broadband service, as well as if the federal government has awarded funding under a competitive process to support the deployment of broadband service to addresses in the designated area.

TX ISP Broadband Serviceable Location Data has to be in a particular format in order for a GIS map to be produced

BDO understands that many ISPs are submitting broadband service data to both the FCC as well as to Texas and it can be burdensome, but the data being asked for is the type and format of data needed by GIS specialists to create the broadband service availability maps:

• By voluntarily submitting broadband availability data at the location level, you will help the state and your company by ensuring the data and maps used for funding are as accurate as they can be. The State of Texas will be investing funds to expand broadband to unserved areas and locations as determined by the state broadband mapping program. To maximize the investment and reduce risk of funding overbuilds we are asking all Texas ISPs to submit Broadband availability data that will help the state determine eligible areas and locations eligible for those funds.
• Mapping of broadband availability to all residential and business locations by address is a precise way to determine the unserved in Texas that will then be available for grant funded project submissions. Prior efforts and methods resulted in significant overstatement of where broadband service is available. ISPs should have a list of addresses either from marketing or billing of currently served locations. We do not want the ISP to identify the locations by customer name which is PII (Personally Identifiable Information), rather just the street address and ideally the associated latitude and longitude coordinates for the address. Having this information will assist in the precision of the data and maps.
• Finally, the Texas broadband availability data requested is consistent with the FCC Broadband Data Collection methodology and shares the same goal of reducing the effort required of ISPs participating in both the FCC and State mapping programs.

LBX will send ISPs an email with secure credentials needed to access the submission portal. Using those credentials, sign into the submission portal and follow the directions.

Entities opting to sign a confidentiality agreement (PDF) with LightBox must complete the agreement and send it to TexasISPCoordinator@lightboxre.com.

Contact the LBX Texas ISP Coordinator to request your secure credentials.

Please refer to the ISP Submission Guide (PDF) (Section 4).

Please refer to the ISP Submission Guide (PDF) (Sections “Fixed List of Locations” and “Fixed/Mobile Coverage Areas”).

The first round of ISP data submissions for the BDO broadband availability map program begins on Sept. 9, 2022, and closes on Oct. 7, 2022.

This round of ISP data submissions will be used to create the Texas broadband map to ensure accuracy and coverage.

The broadband availability map will be updated at least annually, however map challenges and reclassifications may require more frequent updates.

Please check back on BroadbandForTexas.com for announcements on any further mapping updates.

For technical assistance related to submitting mapping data, contact the LBX Texas ISP Coordinator at mailto:TexasISPCoordinator@lightboxre.com with any questions.

Yes. For the ISP data submission filing, broadband availability data as of June 30, 2022 must be submitted during the data submission window of Sept. 9 – Oct. 7. For this round, do not submit future broadband availability data. In future filing rounds, data requests for map updates will align with the FCC effective dates.

No, not at this time.

BDO is requesting broadband availability data from all ISPs in the state, including satellite providers.

New ISPs who do not yet have a serviceable area in Texas should send an email to broadband@cpa.texas.gov indicating they do not have data to submit. Include the name of the ISP, date of inception and current contact information in case BDO has follow up questions.

Any ISP seeking to participate in the broadband availability data submission initiative and who did not receive an initial request should provide their contact details (email, phone, contact name, contact title, organization name) to TexasISPCoordinator@lightboxre.com.