America’s communications infrastructure is the foundation of our technological and economic competitiveness.
That is why so many eyes have been fixed on the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Because progress toward carrying out the BEAD Program gets us closer to connecting every household and business in this country to high-speed broadband – making America stronger.
Now, we’re past another significant mile marker in the BEAD Program. As of the end of August, nearly every state has carried out their Benefit of the Bargain Round and made their provisional award selections for projects. As NTIA approves Final Proposals, the country moves closer to turning BEAD dollars into connections that will fuel economic prosperity, advance educational opportunity, and bring people closer together.
The progress made to this point is in no small part due to the actions of this Administration to continue improving the program.
As a participant in the BEAD program, we were very encouraged to see the Administration’s desire to refocus the program’s rules on advancing its primary objective of connecting Americans as quickly as possible.
Through its BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, the NTIA took decisive steps to remove unnecessary barriers and streamline the program, helping attract participation in state grant programs and pave a path toward timely and cost-efficient project deployments. Some of the most impactful changes include:
- Adopting a technology-neutral approach that allowed states to consider more technology options, helping maximize the coverage delivered with every dollar.
- Eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers like rate regulation requirements and other unrelated program rules that would have added costs to the program and run counter to the goal of connecting all Americans.
- Streamlining permitting by setting a goal of having ~90% of NEPA approvals done within 2 weeks.
The results: More competition in state grant programs, successful award outcomes and a clearer path to connecting communities quickly.
The updated guidance brought affordability rules back to a market-driven approach, removing government-mandated pricing requirements that had deterred providers from participating in state programs.
Providers that participated in Benefit of the Bargain Rounds were also able to remove locations that were not cost-effective to serve with their technology, leading to more competitive bids than in previous rounds.
Lastly, NTIA also recognized that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for broadband and gave state broadband offices the discretion to determine what mix of technologies would provide speed, scale, reliability, and cost-effectiveness for each location in their state.
Through these changes, states were able to leverage their previous efforts to stay on track, and with more types of providers participating in the program, states had more options to choose from to make sure taxpayer dollars were spent as efficiently as possible.
This means that, in the end, communities will be served with the broadband solution that is right for them.
Looking ahead, we can now focus on realizing these outcomes in a timely manner.
NTIA did a lot of important work to streamline permitting and administrative processes, but there is still work to be done on the ground.
The next step is finalizing the terms of contracts so states and providers can be ready to execute as soon as Final Proposals are approved by NTIA and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Until then, we’ll continue to advocate for policies that put us in the best position to move full steam ahead when it’s time to put shovels in the ground.
- We continue to urge local leaders to put in place smart permitting policies that ensure deployments can be carried out on-time and within budget – including adequate staffing of offices, instituting approval windows, and setting reasonable permitting fees.
- Additionally, we encourage states to follow NTIA’s guidance on compliance and reporting. Extraneous administrative requirements force both providers and government offices to devote time and resources for compliance. By only requiring what is mandated through the BEAD program, states can avoid imposing unnecessary burdens and keep projects streamlined on the backend.
We’re now in the homestretch on awarding BEAD dollars. It’s time for grant recipients to deliver. We’ve all been eagerly awaiting forward progress on the BEAD program. By continuing to work together through these last steps, we can deliver for Americans across the country.
