Proposed BEAD Changes Could Delay Deployment by Two Years

Top broadband leaders in Illinois are concerned that changes to the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program could leave rural communities unconnected. Mandated changes—if they come from either Congress or the U.S. Department of Commerce—could force states to rerun their entire BEAD sub-grantee selection processes. The resulting delays will cost ISPs across the country hundreds of millions of dollars in time and resources to plan for the new program guidelines and reapply for awards. The Illinois Office of Broadband, within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, estimates that wholesale changes to BEAD will result in broadband deployment delays. Here’s how.