From eWeek: The Federal Communications Commission has announced that it’s putting on hold a $4.53 billion payout to wireless broadband providers while it investigates charges that a major U.S. carrier has overstated its wireless coverage. The FCC grants are intended to help cover the cost for wireless providers to cover thinly populated areas. The amount a carrier gets paid depends on its actual coverage, and competitors are encouraged to check each other’s claims.
Saying that his top priority is “bridging the digital divide,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he’s launching an investigation into whether one or more wireless carriers violated the rules for receiving funding under the agency’s Mobility Fund. The Mobility Fund is intended to be used to provide high-speed internet access to rural areas.
“In order to reach those areas, it’s critical that we know where access is and where it is not,” Pai said in a media advisory. “A preliminary review of speed test data submitted through the challenge process suggested significant violations of the commission’s rules. That’s why I’ve ordered an investigation into these matters. We must ensure that the data is accurate before we can proceed.”
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