Trust the States: Move BEAD Forward Without Disruption

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program is driving the most ambitious broadband expansion effort in U.S. history. Over the past two years, state broadband offices have been working diligently to adhere to the statutory requirements of BEAD to meet the outcome that Congress has appropriated for—deploying funding to ensure universal broadband service, while prioritizing networks that can easily scale to meet evolving needs, support 5G expansion and future wireless technologies. In my role at Ready.net, I’ve had the opportunity to support these efforts, working closely with SBOs to navigate the complexities of BEAD implementation and ensure funding is deployed efficiently and effectively. However, recently proposed changes introduced by the SPEED for BEAD Act and signaled by the Department of Commerce threaten to disrupt this momentum, causing delays, funding inefficiencies, and weakened broadband expansion efforts. Reform efforts should prioritize accelerating the deployment of BEAD, but the proposed changes risk undermining state-led strategies, limiting flexibility, and weakening BEAD’s overall impact. To fulfill BEAD’s mission, any modifications to the program should accelerate progress, maintain state flexibility, and preserve the integrity of ongoing broadband initiatives.

[Dustin Loup is the Senior Director, Policy Development and Analysis for Ready.net and leads the National Broadband Mapping Coalition.]