Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA, emphasized three main priorities for broadband association members in light of the changes to the BEAD program. The first priority focuses on ensuring projects are scalable over time, allowing for future technological advancements. Secondly, optimizing existing tools to accurately gauge costs of deployment in rural areas is critical, especially since cost-per-location caps have been removed. Lastly, she encourages members to engage in defining service eligibility, particularly using the National Broadband Map as a key resource in this process.
"States should put the evidentiary burden on those claiming 'priority' to demonstrate scalability through objective benchmarks that establish how the proposed network will not only deliver baseline performance today, but can cost-effectively scale to meet customer needs over a decade-plus - and how the network will further the use of cutting-edge technologies and use cases like next-generation wireless, AI, grid modernization, precision agriculture, and data center demand in rural America."
"The new version of the selection process eschews cost-per-location caps. Thus, a prudent way to determine costs must be devised to avoid costs that would impose unreasonable costs on the BEAD Program."
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