The Future of State Broadband Offices

Pew recently published an article that cautioned that States Must Consider the Future of Broadband Offices. They note that some states have a sunset date embedded in the enabling legislation that will mean the end of State Broadband Offices if state legislatures don’t act. I’ve also been thinking about this lately. State offices have spent the last several years overseeing a handful of broadband grants funded by federal and state-level programs that are wrapping up in the next year. Most States are busy right now trying to get Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants in place with internet service providers, although a few States have only minuscule outlays for BEAD. BEAD grant construction is supposed to conclude in four years, and States are on the hook to verify that construction meets the BEAD specifications. Pew suggests activities that broadband offices should pursue after BEAD. This includes setting broadband goals, collecting and mapping broadband data, and providing technical assistance to communities and stakeholders. I would extend that list to suggest that States focus on digital inclusion and affordability efforts to make sure that everybody can actually use the broadband networks that have been built. But I have to wonder how much traction these goals will generate in States that are looking at meager and tight overall budgets in the foreseeable future. Is broadband going to remain enough of a priority at State legislatures to attract funding when so many other important functions are losing federal funding? I can’t see the States caring very much about the National Telecommunications and Information Administration requirements to measure broadband speeds for BEAD networks once those networks are funded and operational.