BEAD’s progress and variety: Some states are charging ahead but some will need more time, and BEAD mapping is complicated

As the three-year anniversary of the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approaches on November 15, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program hasn’t connected anyone yet, but a lot is in motion. Application windows are open. Louisiana is ahead of the game and should complete its subgrantee selection soon. Some states, though, will need extended time. States vary a lot in how they define project areas and how they plan to deal with overlaps. BEAD’s first legal headwinds appeared when internet service provider (ISP) Cox Communications sued Rhode Island for its ambitious use of speed tests to identify underserved areas. We still don’t know whether industry will step up with robust participation in BEAD. LEO satellite and fixed wireless services, addressed through new alternative technology guidance, seem to ensure that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will be able to claim some sort of success in its “internet for all” goals. But the real successes of BEAD will come where “priority” fiber projects enable disadvantaged areas to leapfrog to some of the best connectivity available.