Despite delays and a new round of changes, many state broadband leaders feel they are 'on the right path' - Entrepreneur Generations

Some states had to rework plans to expand internet
access with federal money. (Compare Fibre graphic)

States have been busy preparing and submitting proposals that outline how they plan to spend their portion of $42 billion in federal dollars earmarked for expanding internet access. The plans aim to build out high-speed internet infrastructure in remote and underserved areas.

The federal official in charge of the program, Arielle Roth, said "she is 'pleasantly surprised' at the progress states are making on their revised final plans for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty.

After Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced last-minute changes to the BEAD program in June, states had to rush to "revamp their plans to make them comply," Teale explains. According to the article, 43 states and territories have submitted their final plans for review and compliance guidance.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has "come under fire for adding an additional bidding round to what they have determined would be the most expensive locations to connect," Teale reports. "The agency rejected those claims in a recent fact sheet."

The overall shifts in the program mean that some states won't need all the money they've been allotted. Teale explains, "Meghan Sandfoss, Kentucky’s executive director of broadband development, said the state will only use around a third of its $1.1 billion allocation to serve its 87,000 eligible locations." It's not clear where the "leftover" funding will go.

States still have a long list of work to be completed; however, "several state broadband leaders said they are on the right path," Teale adds.

Minnesota’s Executive Director of Broadband Development, Bree Maki, told Route Fifty, "I think the harder part for us is the stuff that we can't control: the pole attachments, railroad crossings, those kinds of issues that aren't as cut and dry."


from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/0oLB4gC Despite delays and a new round of changes, many state broadband leaders feel they are 'on the right path' - Entrepreneur Generations

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