The Biden administration today announced how much broadband-deployment funding each US state and territory will be eligible to receive from a $42.45 billion grant program.
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program was approved by Congress in November 2021 and will pay Internet service providers to expand networks in unserved and underserved areas. The BEAD money is being distributed to states by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Texas leads the way with $3.31 billion in today’s allocations, followed by California with $1.86 billion. Nineteen states will get at least $1 billion.
“High-speed Internet is no longer a luxury… Yet, more than 8.5 million households and small businesses are in areas where there is no high-speed Internet infrastructure, and millions more struggle with limited or unreliable Internet options,” a White House announcement said today.
Grants are intended for networks offering at least 100Mbps download speeds, 20Mbps upload speeds, and latency of no more than 100 milliseconds. After receiving money from the federal government, states will distribute grants to ISPs through competitive processes. Comparing the BEAD grants to rural electrification, the White House said that “President Biden and Vice President Harris are delivering on their historic commitment to connect everyone in America to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet by the end of the decade.”
FCC map errors still a problem
Each state will decide how to spend the money, but they must get approval for their plans from the NTIA. The agency said today:
States, D.C., and territories (“Eligible Entities”) will receive their formal notice of allocation on June 30, 2023. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Eligible Entities have 180 days from the date of that formal notice to submit their Initial Proposals describing how they propose to run their grant programs. Eligible Entities can begin submitting their Initial Proposals starting July 1, 2023. Once NTIA approves an Initial Proposal, which will occur on a rolling basis, Eligible Entities will be permitted to request access to at least 20 percent of their allocated funds.
The timing is controversial because the funding decisions were based on the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband availability map, which relies on coverage claims submitted by ISPs. While the map is much more detailed than previous versions, it’s not totally reliable because Comcast and other ISPs have claimed to cover homes where they don’t offer service.
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