NTIA Hears from the Public on How to Best Use BEAD Savings

As the National Telecommunications and Information Administration works to get the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program over the finish line, the agency is considering its next phase: how to effectively invest the remaining BEAD funds. On February 9, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth announced that NTIA has now approved 50 out of 56 BEAD Final Proposals from states and territories, moving one step closer to ensuring universal broadband availability across America. The next day, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that $21 billion in BEAD savings would be spent in accordance with the law and highlighted NTIA’s efforts to gather feedback on how to best use the remaining funds. On February 11, NTIA heard from the broader public, with over 1,400 registering for our listening session and more than 1,000 unique participants logging in. In the time allotted, we heard from approximately 50 local officials, industry representatives, advocates, and members of the public. Common themes included using non-deployment funds to improve public safety and state and local permitting, and for digital inclusion activities.