This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to analyze and report on the demands associated with edge provider data transmitted over rural broadband networks during a specified six-year period.

An edge provider is an entity that provides content, applications, or services over the internet (e.g., search engine providers, streaming video or music services, social media platforms, and retailers). Some edge providers generate revenue by selling products or subscriptions to their content, while others offer their content for free and generate revenue by selling advertising to users based on user-provided information.

In its analysis, the FCC must retrospectively and prospectively estimate the quantity of edge provider data transmitted over rural broadband networks. It must also calculate costs to rural broadband providers that are not otherwise recovered for transmitting such data. These costs include (1) initial deployment of rural broadband networks, (2) operation and maintenance of those networks, and (3) the delivery of services to users over those networks.