When the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) rural broadband program earlier this month, the state of North Carolina had not yet begun accepting applications for funding. According to Angie Bailey, North Carolina director of broadband infrastructure, it will be challenging to meet the new deadlines that NTIA has imposed.
“It’s a big lift with the timing window,” she said.
The deadline for states to submit final BEAD proposals, including their selection of funding awardees, is early September.
That means the state only expects to be able to do one funding round. And as Bailey told Telecompetitor in an interview this week, “The big question is: What if we don’t get to 100%? What about areas where there is no bid?”
Bailey said another question is: “Will providers be able to participate and develop projects and submit bids, especially if they’re juggling similar timing in other states?”
She added, though, that the application process will be a bit easier because NTIA eliminated certain requirements.
North Carolina BEAD Changes
North Carolina has been moving fast to comply with the new BEAD changes and requirements. Interested parties have until July 7 to prequalify for participation in the program.
The state also is in the process of determining which locations will no longer be eligible for funding because they are already served by fixed wireless operating in unlicensed spectrum. While some states reportedly are losing a large percentage of eligible locations, Bailey estimates the number in North Carolina at 18,000 — a relatively small percentage of eligible locations.
The state is among the top 10 in terms of the amount of BEAD funding it will have to award. Its allotment is about $1.5 billion.
“There tends to be a lot of interest because of our large rural population,” Bailey said.
The LEO Question
An issue that’s top of mind for all BEAD stakeholders — in North Carolina and beyond — is whether the recent BEAD changes will divert funding away from fiber broadband to LEO satellite technology.
I asked Bailey about that and about a research note from New Street Research Policy Advisor Blair Levin suggesting that states may be able to reject at least some bids from LEO satellite providers on the grounds that the technology isn’t sufficiently future-proof or scalable.
Bailey noted that North Carolina applicants will be required to answer a range of technical questions about their designs, adding “We will make sure service will be sufficient based on the rules.”
Additional information about North Carolina broadband, including links to state funding resources, awards made, BEAD news, state specific Telecompetitor coverage, and more can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state.
