Critics say FCC report overstates broadband availability

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) " The Federal Communications Commission's broadband report is being hammered by critics who say it paints too rosy a picture of high-speed internet availability in the U.S.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined two dissenting FCC commissioners in criticizing the report released Wednesday.

The FCC's annual Broadband Deployment Report says the country's digital divide has "narrowed substantially," with the number of Americans without broadband dropping more than 18%, to 21.3 million people, between 2016 and 2017.

The commission's two Democrats issued dissenting statements along with the report that said it was at odds with the reality of internet availability on the ground. Manchin offered a similar critique relating to West Virginia.

The FCC's data collection methods have been routinely labeled as flawed .