This report on the availability of broadband, authored by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is the first in a series of Broadband Briefs that uses publicly available data collected by the Department of Commerce to examine broadband availability in greater detail. The U.S. Department of Commerce publishes key economic and demographic data that support effective decision-making by policymakers, businesses, and the American public. Information and Communications Technology is critical to economic growth and the Department plays a leading role in this area by overseeing programs that expand broadband access and adoption and also measure current availability and adoption across the country. The Department makes data available from its broadband-related programs—including the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), the State Broadband Initiative (SBI), and the Current Population Survey (CPS) Computer and Internet Use Supplement—for use by researchers and the public to conduct economic, financial, demographic, and other studies. In addition, the Department conducts its own research and analysis to further examine the availability of broadband and the factors associated with increased broadband deployment.
