Will Unlicensed Fixed Wireless Technology Make the Cut with the BEAD Program?

One of the biggest surprises in the rules that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) rural broadband funding program was the agency’s definition of “reliable broadband”—at least with regard to fixed wireless. While fixed wireless using “entirely licensed spectrum or a hybrid of licensed and unlicensed spectrum” was considered “reliable,” fixed wireless “relying entirely on unlicensed spectrum” was not. This is important because areas lacking reliable broadband at speeds of at least 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream will be considered “unserved” and therefore eligible for funding priority in BEAD. In addition, states with money left in their BEAD allotment after deployments to all unserved locations will be able to use the remaining funding for “underserved” locations, defined as those lacking reliable broadband at speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps. The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) is concerned that the BEAD rules could pave the way for subsidized carriers to deploy service in areas that WISPA members already serve, even if the WISP offers service at speeds exceeding 100/20 Mbps.