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FCC FABRIC FAQ

Get answers to critical questions regarding the FCC’s Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric for the BDC Filing process.

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How do I get access to the Fabric?

Eligible entities must execute a license agreement with CostQuest Associates to get access to the FCC’s Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (Fabric).

Tier 2 Fabric Licensing FAQ:

On August 30th, 2022, the Tier 2 UCS (User Class Agreement) was modified to allow Tier 2 Licensees to share the information they submit to the FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) with other Tier 2 Licensees. 

This modification allows Tier 2 Licensees to share availability data (including the unique Location ID from the Fabric that is incorporated into the BDC availability data) with other Tier 2 Licensees (such as ISPs, state, local, and Tribal government entities, and other expressly approved parties).  Please note that the use of shared material must be consistent with the licensing terms for the Fabric. 

To the extent that a Licensee wishes to make other additional uses of the Fabric data, or Derivatives thereof, including the BDC availability filings created using Fabric data, additional use rights must be secured.  One example of such an additional use that would require additional data usage rights would be published by the Tier 2 licensee of a map of fixed broadband availability data tied to individual Fabric locations. The only revision to the use rights granted via this Tier 2 UCS modification is to allow Tier 2 Licensees to share the information they submit to the FCC BDC with other Tier 2 Licensees.  

No.  Per the terms of the Tier 2 License, the UCS may be updated from time to time.  As such, the updated UCS is in effect with this publication.

No.  Licensees are prohibited from using Fabric data for any other purposes beyond their participation in the BDC, including for any commercial use, publication, or other non-commercial uses. 

Licensees are prohibited from using Fabric data for any other purposes beyond their participation in the BDC.  While the FCC has certain rights to use Fabric data in support of its Universal Service Fund programs, we recognize that additional data usage rights may be needed in the future to allow for ISPs to comply with certain program rules.  We anticipate that additional information will be provided in the future.  This enhancement to the Tier 2 Data License Agreement does allow for Broadband Data Collection availability data to be shared with other Tier 2 licensees for this purpose.

Licensee use of the Fabric data is limited to the purposes expressly set forth in the Tier 2 Fabric License, and the UCS attached thereto. Under the Tier 2 FCC Fabric License, Licensees can develop reports and analytics which support the FCC BDC efforts.  Examples for a Tier 2 government entity could include identifying ISPs who have submitted (or not submitted) into the BDC, as well as comparing BDC submissions to other sources of broadband availability information to formulate an availability challenge.  Note, however, that Fabric data licensed through the FCC BDC can only be used for BDC purposes.   Fabric data licensed through the FCC BDC cannot be used for commercial, non-commercial, or any other non-BDC purposes.

Tier 2 licensees may only share data with other Tier 2 licensees, which only includes internet service providers, state, local, and Tribal governmental entities, and other approved entities that have executed a Tier 2 Fabric License.  It is the licensee’s responsibility to confirm, prior to sharing any data, that the entity with whom it intends to share data is a Tier 2 licensee that has executed a licensing agreement with CostQuest.  

The Tier 2 FCC Fabric license allows Tier 2 Licensees to share fixed broadband availability data with other Licensees, provided that the data is in the same format as submitted to the FCC through the BDC. This data can only be used as provided in the UCS which is then in-effect and only as necessary to create, correct, challenge, and/or submit broadband availability data for the BDC.

Tier 2 Licensees and other stakeholders will require additional data usage rights to allow for administration of the BEAD program, including the challenge processes required under the BEAD program (as opposed to the FCC’s challenge processes).  NTIA and the FCC are aware of this need and will provide additional information in the future.

You can reach out to BroadbandData@costquest.com.

For current Fabric licensees, you should receive an email via the FCC helpdesk with instructions for the Tier 2 UCS Agreement.

Visit the FCC Fabric Resources page for more instructions on how to access the Fabric. Note there are separate instructions for broadband service providers and government entities.

All questions can be sent to nbfsupport@costquest.com.

The August 26th, 2022, UCS enhancement allows ISPs who licensed the Fabric data under Tier 2 and created their FCC BDC filing, could share the same filing with states who have licensed the Tier 2 Fabric data for BDC purposes. The shared file can only include the Fabric location_id along with your coverage data. The states themselves can link the shared file to their Tier 2 licensed Fabric. That said, the shared data file cannot be shared with non-licensees nor used for purposes outside the BDC effort. A shared file cannot contain other fields sourced from the Licensed Materials.

Download Fabric FAQ PDF

Download the PDF version of the FCC Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric FAQ here.

More Fabric resources

Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric Resource Center

Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric Overview Video – includes how to upload the Fabric.

Broadband Data Collection Filing Tutorials

Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric Bulk Challenge Process Webinar

Have questions? 

If you have any questions regarding the FCC’s Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric, please email nbfsupport@costquest.com.

Disclaimer

This communication does not reflect the opinion or the policy of the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is not responsible for the information or views in this communication and is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such information or views.

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