It’s Time to Kick the Tires on Those Enforceable Broadband Deployment Commitments

The goal of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) $40+ billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is to ensure that everyone in the United States has access to reliable, high-speed, and affordable broadband. Part of the challenge is how to treat areas where funding already has been awarded for broadband deployment. Will all awardees perform as expected? In an ideal world, all of the existing funded broadband deployment projects will be completed, on schedule, and states will be able to target their BEAD funding to the remaining unserved and underserved communities, meeting the Administration’s goal of achieving internet for all. Sadly, there will be failures. It’s inevitable. Some projects may not be completed as originally planned. The service delivered by some may fall short. Even after this historic infusion of capital, pockets of communities across the country may remain unserved. What should state broadband offices do?

[Carol Mattey is a former senior official from the Federal Communications Commission, where she led teams working on initiatives to modernize the FCC’s $9 billion Universal Service Fund to support broadband. She currently is the principal of Mattey Consulting LLC, which provides strategic and public policy advisory services to broadband providers and other entities seeking funding for broadband.]