The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has issued revised rules for funding for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. As such, any applications submitted earlier this year in Round One will be reevaluated and rescored in accordance with the revised policies and applicants will be able to submit revised or supplemental materials. A new BEAD Round Two will be established based on the revised criteria. 

The PBDA is charged with distributing more than $1 billion to provide broadband for unserved and underserved areas. However, none of the BEAD funds, the largest part of the funding received, have been distributed to date despite the original program details release more than two years ago.  

The restructured rules are available here and remove requirements limiting the funding to fiber. The revised rules allow for satellite, wireless and other technologies, which should provide additional flexibility in expanding broadband into rural areas of the Commonwealth. The 23-page BEAD Program Restructuring Policy Notice (Policy Notice) issued by the NTIA also strikes out many of the complex regulatory requirements in the original program. Click here for the PBDA BEAD Program Page.