Mississippians can correct inaccuracies on the state broadband map from now until Sept. 2, 2024.

The Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM) is overseeing this process before making final plans for $1.2 billion in federal funding to expand broadband service in the state.

Residents lacking reliable high-speed internet are asked to visit the state map at www.beam.ms.gov  to see if service to their address is correctly listed. If not, the challenge process is the only opportunity to dispute that designation.

“Our office is required to use FCC data for our state map and has gathered additional data from internet service providers,” said BEAM Director Sally Doty, of Brookhaven.  “However, we know there are areas where actual experiences with speeds or availability may be different than what is shown on our map. That’s why this Challenge Process is so important. Information from individual residents is vital for updating the map.”

The State Broadband Map can be found at BEAM’s website, www.beam.ms.gov.

BEAM will use the updated State Broadband Map to award funding through a competitive grant process to internet service providers who will build high-speed internet to unserved and underserved locations. Federal guidelines prevent BEAM from awarding funding to any address on the map marked as “Served” with high-speed internet (gray dots) or those that already have federal funding (green dots). Areas marked in pink (unserved) or blue (underserved) will be included in grant funding and do not need to participate in this challenge process.

The Challenge Process is one of many steps the BEAM Office must complete before the $1.2 billion from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will be released to Mississippi and grants awarded to service providers. The $1.2 billion for broadband expansion in Mississippi is part of $43 billion nationwide as part of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2021.

For more information, contact the BEAM Office at 601-359-5029 or via email at info@beam.ms.gov