Guide · Data
How to read FCC broadband availability data (and what it can't tell you)
By the OneClickAway team · Last reviewed: September 2026
The quick answer
The FCC National Broadband Map uses provider-reported availability at broadband-serviceable locations. Our checker uses an aggregated ZIP-area dataset derived from those records. It shows reported technologies and maximum advertised speeds, not live address-level eligibility, measured performance, or current prices.
Where the data comes from
Under the FCC's Broadband Data Collection (BDC) program, every U.S. internet provider must file where it offers service and at what maximum advertised speeds. The FCC publishes those filings at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. OneClickAway's ZIP checker uses that public dataset — provider filings as of December 31, 2024 — joined to U.S. Census ZCTA boundaries so records roll up to ZIP areas, covering roughly 31,000 ZIPs nationwide.
The FCC does not endorse or certify this site; the filings are public data any business may use.
What "maximum advertised speed" means
The speed next to each provider is the fastest plan that provider advertises somewhere in your ZIP — not a measurement, and not a promise for your address. A provider filing 10 Gbps fiber on a few blocks and 1.2 Gbps cable across the rest of a ZIP will show both. Treat the number as a ceiling: the plans actually orderable at your address may top out lower, which is exactly what an agent confirms before you order.
Why block coverage percentage matters
A block coverage percentage describes the share of census blocks represented in this dataset. Blocks can contain very different numbers of homes and businesses, so it is not a percentage of addresses and not the probability that you can order. A provider may serve only part of a block. Use the percentage to compare the records, then request an address check.
| Signal | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| High coverage % + fiber | Fiber reported across a larger share of blocks | Have an agent confirm your address, then order |
| Low coverage % + very high speed | Premium tech reaches pockets of the ZIP | Worth checking — address-level answer needed |
| Only satellite listed | No wired provider appears in this dataset for the selected ZIP | Check satellite eligibility, capacity, and a suitable installation location |
Why we show speeds but not prices
FCC filings contain no pricing, and broadband pricing changes with address, promotion, bundle, and term. Publishing a number that's wrong for your street helps nobody — so this site never invents one. Results show what the data actually supports (technologies and maximum advertised speeds), and your agent checks current pricing for your exact address.
How to use the checker well
Three steps get the most out of the data:
- Search your 5-digit ZIP and note which technologies appear — fiber, cable, 5G home, fixed wireless, DSL, satellite.
- Read coverage percentages as shares of blocks, not addresses. Neither a high percentage nor a fast headline speed confirms eligibility.
- Have an agent confirm your exact address before ordering; that's where advertised availability becomes an actual install date.
Rather have a human sort it out?