A Staredown Between States and NTIA Over the Future of ‘Non-Deployment’ Funding

State broadband offices are stuck in a staring contest with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. State officials have said they can’t plan for the future of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program without knowing whether they will be getting the additional monies promised their states. For its part, according to an official from the Commerce Department agency speaking at the same conference, the NTIA can’t plan for BEAD “non-deployment” funds until it knows how much the states will actually be spending on broadband deployment. The staredown is over leftover “non-deployment” funds, which are separate from payments to internet service providers for last-mile broadband. These funds could theoretically cover everything from workforce training to connections for community anchor institutions to hardening infrastructure. But the staredown is making both sides frustrated about the future.