The FCC map lists a provider at my address. Does that mean I can get service?

The FCC National Broadband Map is a useful tool, and it can also confuse people. Here is what a listing means and what to do when it and your own experience disagree.

What does a listing mean?

The map comes from the FCC's Broadband Data Collection, in which providers report where they offer service, with the technology and the top advertised speed. Those filings are updated twice a year, so the picture is a dated snapshot. A provider can be listed at an address where it would not install in practice, and an address can be missing a provider that would.

For fixed wireless, a listing says the location is within reach on paper. It does not say your roof sees the tower. That is why every fixed wireless company, this one included, checks by address.

What if the map is wrong about my address?

The FCC lets a consumer file an availability challenge from the map, naming the provider that does not serve the location. The steps are in the guide on challenging the FCC map. A challenge corrects the map. It does not connect anyone, so it is worth doing only if the record matters to you.

Do not rely on the map to decide whether to cancel what you have today. Keep your current service until a new one works.

How do I check High Desert for my address?

Use the address check or call 775-575-9593. A person looks at the path from the nearest tower and calls you back. High Desert was not among the providers in the FCC's June 2021 Form 477 filings, which the FCC providers data page reads as a dated historical snapshot, so a map listing is not the way to find out.