News
California will now be able to request access to BEAD funding to begin implementation of the state’s “Internet for All” program.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
The nation’s most populated state, California, will now be able to request funding associated with the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program following a key approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
The approval, announced by the NTIA on Friday, is a key development regarding efforts to close broadband’s digital divide in California.
In total, California was allocated more than $1.8 billion out of the $42.45 billion budget for the BEAD program, outlined in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Access to BEAD funding is tied to approval of the state’s initial BEAD proposal.
According to the NTIA’s Oct. 4 release, remaining BEAD funds allocated for California can be used for internet adoption, training, and workforce development efforts once the state completes digital infrastructure deployment.
‘California is ready to put these funds to work’
“California is ready to put these funds to work, bolstering our economy, building durable broadband infrastructure, and generating quality jobs,” said Alice Reynolds, president of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
The CPUC, which developed the proposal, was congratulated by the NTIA’s administrator, Alan Davidson.
“Today, California can move their Internet for All efforts from planning to action,” Davidson said.
Darcie L. Houck, a commissioner of the CPUC, also offered comments that were included in the NTIA’s announcement.
“This investment by the federal government will provide a significant contribution to meet our shared goals in closing the digital divide and providing broadband for all Californians,” Houck said.
Houck encouraged stakeholders to participate in the BEAD process and remain engaged, saying the state will still have to submit a final proposal to the NTIA.
“We will need everyone’s contribution to help maximize this once in a generation investment,” Houck said.
How to stay engaged
The approval from the NTIA comes weeks ahead of Broadband Communities Summit West, scheduled for Oct. 30-31 in San Diego, California.
The summit, to be held at the San Diego Convention Center, will include track sessions like “BEAD Progress and Overcoming the Challenges,” which is scheduled for day one of the summit.
Updates from the CPUC’s deputy director of broadband and digital literacy, along with the director of the organization’s communications division, are additionally scheduled for day two.
‘Historic investments’
Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the president’s administration for their belief in the BEAD program.
“Thanks to the support of the Biden-Harris Administration, California is on track to connect more communities than ever before to affordable, reliable high-speed internet,” Newsom was quoted as saying in the NTIA’s release. “The historic investments provided by the BEAD program are vital to our work in closing the digital divide.”
The approval further reduces the list of states and territories still awaiting final approval for the second volume of their initial BEAD proposal, according to the NTIA’s website.
Last month, a string of initial BEAD proposal approvals was announced by the NTIA, including the approval of initial proposals from Nebraska, Mississippi, South Dakota, Michigan, North Dakota, Idaho, and American Samoa.
All states first submitted their initial proposals in 2023.
In 2024, the NTIA has announced approvals for states and territories on a rolling basis.
How is the US connectivity landscape shifting in 2024? Join the operators and their communities in discussion at Broadband Communities Summit West live in San Diego.
