evidence that the percentage of Americans without broadband access is much higher than the FCC’s numbers indicate. As we analyzed this data, we found that it was based on flawed methodology. The FCC concludes that a person has access to broadband if a local service provider reports that it could provide such service “without an extraordinary commitment of resources.”5 But many such companies don’t provide this service in practice. It’s like telling someone they have access to a free lunch if a local restaurant says it could serve it to them if it wanted.
