Internet speed test
CoverageMap API

FCC coverage object

The fccCoverage object: FCC modeled signal strength and area coverage at and around a location.

Request the fcc-coverage dataset to get the FCC modeled signal strength and area coverage of each provider and technology at a location. It is returned in the fccCoverage field of every coverage entry and costs 1 unit per location.

Example

One coverage entry from a request with "datasets": ["fcc-coverage"]:

Coverage entry
{
  "provider": { "code": "VZW", "name": "Verizon Wireless" },
  "technology": { "code": "lte", "name": "LTE" },
  "fccCoverage": {
    "signal": {
      "signal": -84.5,
      "halfKilometer": -85.1,
      "oneKilometer": -86.3,
      "twoKilometers": -88.9
    },
    "coverage": {
      "halfKilometer": 1,
      "oneKilometer": 0.985,
      "twoKilometers": 0.912
    }
  }
}

When the FCC does not report the provider and technology at the location, the field is null:

No FCC data
{
  "provider": { "code": "ATT", "name": "AT&T Mobility" },
  "technology": { "code": "5g", "name": "5GNR" },
  "fccCoverage": null
}

Attributes

The signal object describes signal strength and the coverage object how much of the surrounding area is covered. Both look at three radii around the location: 0.5 km (halfKilometer), 1 km (oneKilometer) and 2 km (twoKilometers).

signalobject
Modeled signal strength in dBm, from -120 (no signal) to -50 (excellent).
Show child attributes
signalnumberNullable
Signal strength at the exact location. Null when the location itself has no modeled signal.
halfKilometernumberNullable
Average signal strength across the covered area within 0.5 km. Null when nothing within 0.5 km is covered.
oneKilometernumberNullable
Average signal strength across the covered area within 1 km. Null when nothing within 1 km is covered.
twoKilometersnumberNullable
Average signal strength across the covered area within 2 km. Null when nothing within 2 km is covered.
coverageobject
Share of the area around the location that the provider covers.
Show child attributes
halfKilometernumber
Fraction of the area within 0.5 km that is covered, from 0 (none) to 1 (all).
oneKilometernumber
Fraction of the area within 1 km that is covered, from 0 (none) to 1 (all).
twoKilometersnumber
Fraction of the area within 2 km that is covered, from 0 (none) to 1 (all).

Reading signal strength

Signal strength ranges
RangeSignalWhat to expect
-50 to -70 dBmExcellentTypically very close to a cell tower.
-70 to -85 dBmGoodSuitable for most uses.
-85 to -100 dBmFairSome connectivity issues are possible.
-100 to -120 dBmPoorConnectivity problems are likely.

Notes

  • When technologies are combined (no technologies in the request), each value is the best across the provider's technologies: the strongest signal and the highest coverage.
  • Updated to the latest FCC Broadband Data Collection release twice a year, usually within 1 to 2 days of publication.
  • FCC data is only available for the United States.