The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program can subsidize broadband buildout to any location that doesn’t have 100 Mbps download/ 20 Mbps upload throughput available according to the NTIA’s definition of reliable broadband. That’s 11.9 million Unserved and Underserved locations in the 50 states + D.C.. But, the official BEAD rules
Yes, a number of electric coops had made the decision to get into the broadband business around the time of the RDOF auction - but it was RDOF on the horizon that caught their attention and made them consider entering the broadband business in the first place. And for those that would have done the build anyway - without RDOF, they would have done a multi-year staged construction project, starting in town and getting to the less dense areas outside of town only after achieving certain subscriber metrics and proving out the business case to the board and their members. RDOF defrayed the cost to build, enabling them to reach the most difficult to serve portions of their service territory faster.
Alaska providers are excluded from RDOF. The FCC has replaced Alaska's RDOF allocation with the high-cost USF Alaska Plan and CAF Phase II, totaling ~$170M/year. Is this being factored in when you calculate Alaska's projected BEAD allocation? (Thank you for your excellent work!)
Good question - BEAD allocations only depend on the number of Unserved locations according to the FCC maps (and the number of high-cost locations). RDOF locations, Alaska Plan, ARPA, etc etc don't factor into the allocation.
In some of the analysis I do about how far the money might go, I am using RDOF locations. And for those I haven't been including locations that will be covered by the Alaska Plan or other programs. I will try to add that in the future
Yes, a number of electric coops had made the decision to get into the broadband business around the time of the RDOF auction - but it was RDOF on the horizon that caught their attention and made them consider entering the broadband business in the first place. And for those that would have done the build anyway - without RDOF, they would have done a multi-year staged construction project, starting in town and getting to the less dense areas outside of town only after achieving certain subscriber metrics and proving out the business case to the board and their members. RDOF defrayed the cost to build, enabling them to reach the most difficult to serve portions of their service territory faster.
Alaska providers are excluded from RDOF. The FCC has replaced Alaska's RDOF allocation with the high-cost USF Alaska Plan and CAF Phase II, totaling ~$170M/year. Is this being factored in when you calculate Alaska's projected BEAD allocation? (Thank you for your excellent work!)
Good question - BEAD allocations only depend on the number of Unserved locations according to the FCC maps (and the number of high-cost locations). RDOF locations, Alaska Plan, ARPA, etc etc don't factor into the allocation.
In some of the analysis I do about how far the money might go, I am using RDOF locations. And for those I haven't been including locations that will be covered by the Alaska Plan or other programs. I will try to add that in the future