Session 142: BEAD News with Doug Dawson"

President, CCG Consulting

Years of painstaking detailed state by state broadband expansion plan development has been thrown into disarray.

In June 2023, under the Biden administration, $42.5 billion in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grants were handed to 56 states and territories.

The goal was to build out high-speed internet using whatever technology was best, though fiber-optic cables are considered the gold standard of internet infrastructure.

The BEAD Program’s progress has been delayed due to changes, and some experts have criticized the shift to infuse a nonpartisan program with partisan issues.

• The Trump administration has changed guidance for a federal broadband grant program, urging states to prioritize lower-cost internet projects.
• Experts warn that shifting focus from fiber-optic cables to cheaper options like fixed wireless will result in a less durable, lower-quality internet infrastructure for the states.

Join to get the latest analysis on impacts and possible strategies from Doug Dawson.

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