The Institute for Local Self Reliance (aka Community Networks) has created a BEAD blueprint for communities that I think is clear and concise. In Minnesota, we are about the start the challenge process at the NTIA just approved Minnesota’s Initial Proposal Volume 1 last week. But it’s never too early to plan and never hurts to read the Cliff Notes before you start a complicated book…

Each state must conduct a challenge process prior to opening up BEAD grants to verify that the data on the National Broadband Map is accurate. That process will have three stages: the challenge window, the rebuttal window, and the determination window. During the challenge window, eligible challengers (local and Tribal governments, nonprofits, and ISPs) can present evidence that locations are incorrectly categorized as served, underserved, or served. According to the NTIA’s Challenge Process Policy Notice, those same eligible entities can participate in the rebuttal window, where they supply evidence refuting a challenge that was made by someone else. After both of these periods are over, the state weighs all of the evidence and makes a final determination (determination window).

Why might this rebuttal period be important for communities? In short, not all challenges are created equally. While we might primarily think of challenges that make the map more accurate, some challenges could, in fact, make the map less accurate. Some ISPs might make questionable challenges about the level of service they can or will provide.

The BEAD process will distribute more than $42 billion nationally in new infrastructure to places where existing connections fall short, and the ISPs that operate those existing networks have a vested interest in protecting that territory. In fact, ISPs have so far dominated the challenge process around the country (see Kentucky’s data for instance), and there are plenty of signs that some are acting aggressively to protect their service areas from potential future competitors (irrespective, of course, of the ultimate impact to homes and businesses that need better connectivity).

The bottom line: it may be up to communities to rebut those challenges.