Technology Neutral

The term technology neutral has been around for a number of years related to federal grants. The term is used among the folks who create grant programs as a way to not dictate technology choices—any technology that can meet the requirements of a given grant program should be considered. The term is taking on significant new meaning in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant process. The BEAD legislation said that the program was supposed to be technology neutral. However, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) adopted a principle that States should favor fiber whenever possible. It's clear that the new head of the NTIA is going to eliminate the NTIA’s preference for fiber. To a large degree, any significant change that limit the amount of fiber that will be built by BEAD feels like a political decision more than a policy decision.