Top navigation skipped
Individual Availability Challenges
Availability challenges can correct the information on the map about the services ISPs report as being available. Challenges can be based on several reasons, including that the provider denied a request for service, demanded excessive connection fees or failed to schedule an installation within 10 business days of a request. Once a challenge is filed, providers are required to review the challenge and either concede or dispute it within 60 days.
Reasons you can submit an availability challenge include:
- Provider failed to schedule a service installation within 10 business days of a request.
- Provider did not install the service at the agreed-upon time.
- Provider requested more than the standard installation fee to connect this location.
- Provider denied the request for service.
- Provider does not offer the technology or service type at this location.
- Reported speed is not available for purchase.
- Subscribed speed is not achievable. (Individuals only can select this option (on the map), but it won't create a challenge.)
- No wireless or satellite signal is available at this location.
- New, non-standard equipment is required to connect this location.
If one of the services listed is not actually offered to the selected location, or if the providers listed do not actually serve your location, you can submit an availability challenge.
- Select “Availabiltiy Challenge”.
- Select the provider you wish to challenge.
- Check one of the following:
- Send my challenge to the selected provider.
- I'm giving feedback about the information above but not submitting a challenge.
- Provide your contact information.
- Select a reason from the dropdown menu.
- Provide a description (optional if supporting documentation is provided):
- Describe your experience. For example: “I searched my address on this provider’s website, and the pop-up screen showed that the provider does not offer this technology in my area and is unable to service my home.”
- Upload evidence for your challenge (optional):
- Examples of evidence include correspondence with the provider, screenshots of the provider's website or images of the provider's marketing material.
- Electronically certify. Submit.
After submitting an availability challenge, the following actions and procedures will take place:
- FCC will conduct an initial review to ensure that the challenge is not a complaint about service quality, the correct reason for the challenge was selected and that sufficient evidence has been submitted to support the challenge.
- You, as the challenger, will receive an email notification from the FCC letting you know that the provider has been notified about the challenge. The FCC will provide you with a unique ID for the challenge and additional information regarding next steps.
- The provider has 60 days to either concede or rebut your challenge.
- If the provider concedes or fails to respond to your challenge, the challenged services will no longer show as available at that location on the map.
- If the provider rebuts the challenge, you should expect them to contact you directly over the next 60 days to try and resolve the challenge. If, after 60 days, you and the provider are unable to come to an agreement, the FCC will have 90 days to review and decide the outcome of the challenge.
- If decided in your favor, the service provider must update its information within 30 days so that the location is not shown as served by the provider on the FCC’s maps.
- If decided in the provider’s favor, the provider location will no longer be considered “challenged.”
- Check the status of your challenge by searching the challenged location directly on the National Broadband Map and clicking on the number next to the availability challenge icon on the right.
Download the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Map Challenge Flowchart (PDF) and the updated FCC Map Challenge Toolkit (PDF).
Need assistance?
If your question is not addressed here, Email us.