Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
A First Look at the Evolving National Broadband Map
Maps of broadband availability are critical inputs for targeting public programs aiming to address disparities in digital equity, such as the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. In 2020, the Broadband DATA Act called on the Federal Communications Commission to create new, more granular, maps of broadband availability in the US.
NTIA, FCC Close in on Broadband Map Data for State BEAD Allocations
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is in “close coordination” with the Federal Communications Commission regarding the update to the second version of the National Broadband Map, which will be used to determine state Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) allocations. “We are working with our colleagues at the FCC to determine when we will obtain the version of the map to use for our BEAD allocations,” an NTIA spokesperson said. NTIA is scheduled to release state BEAD allocations by June 30, 2023, and undoubtedly will need some time to work with t
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BEAD Grants – File Early or Wait?
Several states have already announced that there will be multiple rounds of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant applications. This makes a lot of sense for states that will be receiving a significant amount of BEAD funding.
BEAD Funding Could Enable Frontier Builds Outside Footprint, But Focus Will be Home Turf
Frontier Communications is “very excited” about the possibility of using Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding to deploy fiber broadband to areas that aren’t currently part of the company’s plan to have fiber available to 10 million locations by 2025, said Chief Strategy Officer Vishal Dixit. He declined to say how many locations might be eligible for funding in the $42.5 billion BEAD program.
With billions of dollars on the line, East Texans say a crucial state map incorrectly shows they already have broadband
Thousands of East Texans are part of a petition challenging the accuracy of the Texas Broadband Development Map that shows internet availability and speeds across the state.
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New York is Working to ConnectALL
New York State is approaching universal broadband through both access and adoption—and recognizes that affordability is a key barrier to adoption. In January 2022, Gov. Hochul unveiled ConnectALL, a $1 billion public-private initiative to deliver affordable broadband to millions of New Yorkers and transform the state's digital infrastructure through new investments. The initiative includes:
TDS is More Excited About Universal Service Fund's ACAM Extension Than BEAD Program
At a time when some service providers are revving up to get funding in the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, TDS Telecom President and CEO Jim Butman had a surprising take on it. The company already has upgraded a large part of its traditional local service territory to fiber broadband but has about 500,000 locations that are served by DSL, including about 200,000 or fewer that do not have service at speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) available to them. Those locations would be considered unserved and eligible for BEAD funding.
When Big Business Married Big Government
When liberals look back on the Biden presidency, they may hail its greatest accomplishment as ushering in a new era of corporate government dependency.
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The National Broadband Map—Getting Better All the Time
In November 2022, the Federal Communications Commission released new broadband maps that provide a snapshot of the state of broadband deployment in the United States. Here are some key developments and things the FCC learned over the past four months.
'Buy America' restrictions could bog down BEAD
Strict "Buy America" requirements for government subsidy programs such as BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) threaten to significantly delay broadband network rollouts in rural areas if flexible waivers on those restrictions are not included, several industry organizations and industry watchers are warning. The Buy America policy, if strictly enforced, "could cause significant delays in actual deployments such that, for all practical purposes, it will cease to be relevant to the [broadband providers] or the communities the federal government sought to assist," New Street Resear