Pennsylvania Broadband Director Talks BEAD

Pennsylvania will be getting $1.2 billion in Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program rural broadband funding, making it one of the top states in terms of the amount awarded. Telecompetitor spoke with Brandon Carson, executive director of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, about BEAD and other efforts to make broadband available throughout the state. Pennsylvania aims to deliver service to 236,000 unserved and 52,000 underserved locations. Carson points out that the most recent under/unserved numbers are down 40,000 locations; he attributes the reduction to significant recent private investment and the completion of some enforceable funding commitments. In its Volume II BEAD proposal, the Commonwealth outlines plans for two rounds of funding, with the first round soliciting proposals starting in the summer of 2024. Round one applicants will be required to cover at least 95 percent of eligible broadband serviceable locations in the proposed project area., which Carson hopes will maximize investments.