Telco companies to provide data for broadband map

The country’s biggest phone and cable companies have agreed to hand over information about their broadband networks to help the federal government produce a national map showing where high-speed Internet connections are available across the U.S.

AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp., along with industry trade groups, have told the Commerce Department that they are committed to helping it “complete the important and difficult task of mapping broadband availability.”

Congress included up to $350 million in the stimulus bill passed in February to produce a national broadband map that can be searched by the public. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, part of the Commerce Department, is overseeing the project.