National Telecommunications and Information Administration

BEAD Build America, Buy America Waiver Request for Comment

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) charged the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with establishing the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and ensuring that BEAD-funded broadband infrastructure projects comply with the Buy America Domestic Content Procurement Preference (Buy America Preference) of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA).

Making Internet for All in America: The Next Steps

Following President Biden’s State of the Union Address in January 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it would take a strict approach to enforcing Build America, Buy America requirements for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Now we’re ready to provide more specifics.

What's a High-Cost Area for BEAD and ACP?

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to determine how much each state is to receive in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding based on the number of locations in their state unserved by high-speed internet service. One component in the allocation is a determination of the number of “high cost” unserved locations in each state divided by the nationwide total of high-cost unserved locations. Congress also tasked NTIA with defining what “high-cost areas” are.

Case Study: Verizon and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Training Program

The world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st-century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has created the Telecommunications Training and Workforce Development Best Practice Checklist to help support Eligible Entities as they’re developing their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) workforce plans. Verizon and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have collective bargaining agreements in place that, among other things, provide for high-

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $1 Billion in New Internet for All Funding Available to Tribal Lands

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the availability of nearly $1 billion in funding to expand Internet access and adoption on Tribal Lands. This second round of funding from the Internet for All initiative’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) will make up to approximately $980 million available for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities for the deployment of Internet infras

Biden-Harris Administration Commits Nearly $4 Million to Tribal Lands

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it has awarded eight grants totaling $3,998,000 to eight Tribes as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). This funding from will help Tribes reduce monthly Internet service costs, plan for future Internet infrastructure investments, upgrade network equipment, and purchase devices. The winning Tribes are as follows:

BEAD Program Initial Proposal Guidance

The Initial Proposal is the “first draft” of an Eligible Entity’s Final Proposal for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant funding, and, among other things, should explain how States and Territories will ensure that every resident has access to a reliable, affordable, and high-speed broadband connection, drawing on all funding available to accomplish this goal, including but not limited to BEAD Program funds.

A Roadmap for Digital Equity Across America

President Joe Biden (D) announced a milestone in the Internet for All funding from our $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment—or BEAD—program. Florida will receive over $1.1 billion to bring high-speed Internet service to every home and business within its borders. However, it is not enough to simply deploy Internet infrastructure. A connection to a family’s home doesn’t help if that family can’t afford Internet service.