Because of the historic levels of funding for broadband deployment being made available across a myriad of new federal programs, in addition to numerous legacy support programs, it’s imperative that federal and state agencies implement spending programs consistent with congressional directives and that the multitude of programs are well coordinated, according to WIA.
“Funding alone is insufficient. It is also critical that government and industry work together to remove barriers that will unnecessarily delay broadband deployment,” says WIA. The association made those remarks in a letter to Senator John Thune (R-SD), answering questions posed by the Senate Minority Whip and Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband concerning his broadband oversight effort.
In letters to several broadband associations, think tanks and other stakeholders, Thune sought input on the current broadband regulatory structure. The point is to “hold agencies accountable and ensure that previously authorized broadband funding is being used in the most efficient way possible to protect taxpayer dollars,” he said, Inside Towers reported.
Thune asked whether NTIA followed Congress’ intent to establish a technology-neutral approach for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. WIA said the concept has been “deemphasized” in its implementation. WIA encouraged Congress to work with NTIA to “ensure multiple broadband solutions, including fixed wireless access, are available for states to consider for their unique needs throughout the BEAD selection process.”
WIA flagged issues on which Congress should work with NTIA to ensure the BEAD program is implemented consistent with the text and intent of the bipartisan Infrastructure Law. WIA tells Thune: “Contrary to the statute, the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity defines a Priority Broadband Project as ‘a project that will provision service via end-to-end fiber-optic facilities to each end-user premises,’ unless such a fiber project is deemed to exceed an ‘Extremely High Cost Per Location Threshold,’ which NTIA encourages states to set ‘as high as possible.’ If Congress wanted to limit ‘priority broadband projects’ to one type of technology, it could have done so. It did not. Instead, the statute was technology neutral provided that the chosen technology could meet the broadband speeds set by Congress.”
WIA says it “sincerely appreciates the work that NTIA is doing to ensure every American has access to high speed broadband.” And it appreciates the benefits of fiber to the home. “However, we also recognize the benefits of fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband service to the home. FWA service is a reliable, high-speed, affordable alternative to fiber, and it is much faster to deploy,” explains WIA.
Thune says the BEAD NOFO promotes government-owned networks. He asked if they’re an effective entity to deploy broadband networks. WIA explains: “On average, the broadband industry invests $80 billion annually in capital expenditures, a significant portion of which goes toward the buildout of the world’s leading wireless networks. Beyond simply building the networks, experienced fixed and mobile broadband providers maintain and operate these networks to ensure consistent high-quality operations over the long term. Government-owned networks generally do not have a track record of delivering the same quality of service and have not shown the same long-term viability.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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