Maryland broadband chief: Broadband providers won’t get BEAD money until 2025

Maryland just scored over $267 million in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding. Kenrick Gordon, Director of Maryland’s Office of Statewide Broadband, is optimistic the amount will help fuel deployments, but he thinks it’ll take a couple of years before the money is available for broadband providers. Gordon said Maryland is currently working on its initial BEAD proposal and once it’s submitted, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has to review and approve it. Once the initial plan is approved, the state can begin the grant application process. The applications have to be included in the state’s final BEAD proposal, which the NTIA also needs to review. “We’re thinking it’s going to be early 2025 before the funds are actually available for construction,” said Director Gordon. “The efficiency’s there, we will have to modify our plan and set our programs just a little bit to match what NTIA is requesting for some of the scoring metrics that they have,” he said. “But I don’t see any problem with finding applicants and getting funding out the door.” Determining where those locations are is also difficult, as they are spread out across the state in places where providers “probably have the least interest in providing service.” Gordon said his office is looking into orphan locations – locations providers may have passed “for one reason or another.” One priority is convincing providers to go back and serve those areas.