DOI: 10.3886/icpsr38567
title: National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA): Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract and ZIP Code Tabulation Area, United States, 2014-2020
title: Archival Version

description: This study contains two data files. Data file one (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract</strong>) contains measures of broadband internet availability, speed, and adoption per United States census tract in 2014 through 2020. The data is derived from internet service providers' Form 477 reports to the Federal Communications Commission. Data file two (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area</strong>) contains measures of broadband internet access and usage per United States ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) in 2014 through 2020. The data is derived primarily from internet service providers' Form 477 reports to the Federal Communications Commission.
description: These data bring together measures of broadband accessibility and residential adoption across the United States for the period 2014-2018 (data file <strong>Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract</strong>) and measures of broadband accessibility and speed across the United States for the period 2014-2020 (data file <strong>Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area</strong>).
description: For data file one (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract</strong>)
Average per-tract download and upload speeds were derived from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband deployment data. Researchers summarized the maximum committed information rates (Max CIR Downstream Speed and Max CIR Upstream Speed) of all providers in all block groups in the tract, then divided by the total number of unique provider IDs in all block groups in the tract. Researchers counted each provider once per block group. In other words, if one provider offers service in ten block groups within a tract, the denominator is ten, not one. Researchers dropped providers with a max CIR upload and/or download speed of zero, which the FCC uses to denote providers who offer broadband on a "best effort" basis instead of specifying a bandwidth.


Researchers then calculated the total number of providers offering fixed high-speed connections in the tract, as well as the number offering residential fixed high-speed connections. "High speed" is defined as having an average download and/or upload speed exceeding 200 kilobits per second (kbps). "Residential" providers are those with consumer=1 in the FCC broadband deployment data. Researchers counted each provider once per tract. If one provider offered service in ten block groups within a tract, they were counted once, not ten times.


Researchers then merged in data on broadband subscribership from the FCC's maps of residential fixed internet access. For each census tract and year, researchers included both connections exceeding 200 kbps upstream or downstream, and connections exceeding ten megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and one Mbps upstream. Data from 2014, 2019, and 2020 were not available. Researchers used data from 2015 for 2014, but left 2019 and 2020 missing. Note that the variables provided by the FCC are categorical variables, with a value of 1 representing 1-200 connections, 2 representing 201-400 connections, etc.


Census tracts that were not served by any broadband providers in any year are missing from the data.


For data file two (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area</strong>) average per-ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) download and upload speeds (avg_download_speed, avg_upload_speed) were derived from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband deployment data. Researchers summarized the maximum committed information rates (Max CIR Downstream Speed and Max CIR Upstream Speed) of all providers in all block groups in the ZCTA, then divided by the total number of unique provider IDs in all block groups in the ZCTA, counting each provider once per block group. In other words, if one provider offers service in ten block groups within a ZCTA, the denominator is ten, not one. Researchers dropped providers with a max CIR upload and/or download speed of zero, which the


Researchers then calculated the total number of providers offering fixed high-speed connections in the ZCTA, as well as the number offering residential fixed high-speed connections. "High speed" is defined as having an average download and/or upload speed exceeding 200 kilobits per second (kbps). "Residential" providers are those with consumer=1 in the FCC broadband deployment data. Researchers counted each provider once per ZCTA. If one provider offers service in ten block groups within a ZCTA, they are counted once, not ten times.


ZCTAs that were not served by any broadband providers in any year from 2014-2020 are missing from the data.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract
DS2: Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area
description: Census tracts and ZIP code tabulation areas in the United States, US island territories, and possessions. Smallest Geographic Unit: census tract and ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA)
description: The data and documentation for data file one (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract</strong> - see National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA): Broadband Internet Availability, Speed, and Adoption by Census Tract, United States, 2014-2020) and data file two (<strong>Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area</strong> - see National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA): Broadband Internet Availability and Speed by ZIP Code Tabulation Area, United States, 2014-2020) were originally deposited in openICPSR.A ZIP code to ZCTA crosswalk must be used to combine this dataset with ZIP code geocoded data. A crosswalk and sample code for merging the crosswalk with National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA) datasets are available in the ICPSR Linkage Library.For additional information see the National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA).Please consult the accompanying documentation for additional information.