Granular ARPU Data Difficult to Develop, Protect, Says Banks
SEATTLE -- Developing data sets that separate consumer information by county and average revenue per subscriber is an expensive and difficult requirement for providers, said USTelecom Senior Vice President of Law and Policy Jonathan Banks. The task poses security and efficiency concerns to providers who want help expand broadband’s reach through the stimulus, he said during the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners’ summer meeting Tuesday.
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Carriers have questioned the relevance of average revenue per user (ARPU), particularly at county levels, which is of little importance to the carriers, said Banks. The agencies are asking providers to aggregate a massive amount data, he said, noting that ARPU data is really only necessary on sustainability concerns in the most rural areas. But ARPU data is required to make “smart data-driven decisions” about affordability and the sustainability of agency-funded projects, said NTIA Special Advisor Edward Smith.
All grantees in NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program must adhere to State Broadband and Development Grant Program rules. The data requirements of the program, which include ARPU and first point of aggregation for last-mile connection points, are causing a stir among many providers who don’t typically keep that data on hand or are worried about the handling of such sensitive information.
State commissioners are extremely concerned about providing a substantially complete set of availability data by the Nov. 1 deadline and completing data collection by March 1, 2010. “On behalf of all mapping entities, Ahh!” said Commissioner Rachelle Chong of the California Public Commission. Chong, a former FCC commissioner, urged providers to work out their issues with NTIA because cooperation is necessary for the program’s success.
Chong said she would like to avoid “garbage in, garbage out” situations where bad data results in a flawed broadband map. California, which finished a mapping initiative in 2007, was successful in collecting broadband data under its Broadband Task Force because the providers saw the value of the map that resulted, said Chong. -- Tim Warren .HEADLINe Broadband Stimulus Notes
The FCC must ensure that its national broadband plan is based on facts, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said in reply comments this week at the FCC. “Data on broadband deployment and adoption is lacking in several significant areas, which has the effect of hampering research, impairing policy development, limiting the ability of local economic development officials, and reducing the value of the discourse on broadband adoption,” the group said. The foundation also called for some “regulatory housekeeping, such as a thorough spectrum inventory and reliable surveys of Internet traffic growth.”