For the last decade the FCC's broadband data collection methodology has been largely a joke, which means that the agency has been making sweeping policy decisions based on incomplete data. In an effort to rectify this, the Senate last Friday passed the Broadband Data Improvement Act, which would get the GAO (outspoken critics of the FCC) and the census system more involved in broadband mapping, and provides grants to private-public mapping efforts (yes, that includes the controversial Connected Nation group).

This is on top of the FCC's recent decision to bump the definition of broadband from 200kbps to 768kbps, and to ditch their flawed zip code measuring system (for years, the FCC insisted that one wired home in a zip code meant that entire zip code had broadband) for deeper census-track level reporting. The gist? In a few years we might actually know who has broadband and who doesn't, which might just lead to FCC decisions based on actual data. Maybe.

Incumbent ISPs haven't been particularly forthcoming with broadband penetration data, and have fought those who try to obtain it in court. The bill also does little good if the groups they're giving grants to, like Connected Nation, are in fact simply incumbent ISP policy vessels tasked with putting on a good dog and pony show. Still, at least the country seems to have identified -- perhaps a decade too late -- that there's a problem with our approach to mapping.