BEAD timeline: Updates, obstacles, and predictions
As of January 2024, all states and territories have submitted their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program initial proposals. And, in all but a few states, communities are gearing up for the challenge process.
Given that milestone, it’s worth revisiting the timeline that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released in June 2023 detailing when initial proposals, challenge processes, subgrantee selection, and final proposals could be expected. Keeping up to date with the timeline is important if you are planning to engage in the challenge process, applying for BEAD funds, or trying to figure out when high-speed broadband will be available.
When it was released, this timeline was met with skepticism from the broadband community due to the complexity of the BEAD rules. However, many states, including Louisiana and New York, offered similar predictions in their Volume 2 proposals.
According to the NTIA’s timeline, subgrantee applications could open after states complete the challenge process but before the NTIA validates the results. Depending on the state’s grant process, if states start their challenge process by February, subgrantees will most likely be determined by the state before 2025.
That is a big “if” at this point, as most of the predictions rely on the speed at which the NTIA approves the proposals.
As it stands, Louisiana is the only state that has to submit its final proposal, which includes selected subgrantees, by December 2024–365 days after the approval of their full initial proposal. Other states, like New York, predict final determination of subgrantees occurring around November 2024, but the state needs to start the challenge process in February to meet that timeframe. Again, starting in February depends on the NTIA’s approval.
Though all states are on track with the NTIA’s predictions thus far, there are still some big issues on the horizon that could cause delays in the process. Two potential delays we are tracking:
- Deduplication phases
State broadband offices are responsible for ensuring that BEAD money is not used to overbuild areas awarded other infrastructure funding (known as deduplication) through programs like ACAM, ReConnect Round 5, and the Capital Projects Fund.
This could prove to be more difficult than it sounds. ReConnect Round 5, for example, opens applications in late January 2024 and is expecting to announce winners in the third quarter of 2024 — right in the middle of the BEAD subgrantee selection process. Communication between funding agencies and the state during this time could delay and complicate the selection process. Applicants could see whole BEAD proposals no longer eligible or substantially reduced when alternate broadband programs are occurring in tandem with BEAD proposal submission windows.
2. Subgrantee negotiations
After state broadband offices close the application window, they will have to find the most efficient way to cover all unserved and underserved locations with the applicant pool.
If there are areas with no proposals — think rural, low-density areas — state broadband offices will need to entice internet service providers (ISPs) in surrounding project areas to include (or exclude) certain locations to make network designs work with limited funding. This process could take much longer than the two to four months states are anticipating.
If states rush the negotiation process and fail to quickly find solutions for areas with no proposals or higher cost proposals, those communities could see “non-reliable” broadband technology (a.k.a. unlicensed fixed wireless) build-outs rather than fiber-to-the-home or licensed fixed wireless.
…
What other potential delays or complications do you see on the horizon?
If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments or reach out to us at hello@broadbandhub.org. We offer up to 25 hours of free technical assistance for all of your broadband needs!
For more information on BEAD timelines and expectations, check out these resources:
- Preparing for BEAD Deployments: Six key workforce development strategies
- 3 areas in Initial Proposal Vol. 2 drafts that will impact the ability for small ISPs to participate in BEAD
- The NTIA’s default BEAD rules make it hard for small, independent, nonprofit, cooperative, and municipal ISPs to participate — but some states are trying to change that
- Overview of the BEAD program
