Jul 25: OBD meeting notes and screenshots on BEAD Challenge portal and process

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Today’s weekly Office of Broadband BEAD info session focused on the challenge process and how to submit challenges. Most of the hour was a demonstration of how to submit challenges. Below are screenshots from the demonstration, highlights/questions and the chat. At a high level the demonstration went through how to challenge as a:

  • Nonprofit/local government
  • ISP
  • Resident

Here are some highlights and questions:

  • Submit requests to access Cost Quest by July 30. They will be taking a break from new folks after that.
  • Experience of challenging seems to be different based on what sort of organization you represent (nonprofit/gov vs ISP).
  • Every challenge needs evidence attached to it.
  • Nonprofits/govs can do bulk challenges for Availability OR enforceable commitment
  • We’ll talk about rebuttal next week
  • Two ways to handle rebuttals: 1) challenges directly against an ISP will go directly to ISP dashboard OR 2) more general challenges will go to open rebuttals
  • Question: how to submit bulk without using drawing tool? Would rather upload shapes or CSV file.
    The reason is because when this was designed NTIA said challenges needed to be to location. So built to the specific BSL. Draw tool was added later. An issue with accepting other methods is the number of non-standard uploads.
  • Question: what are options for acceptable files?
    Jpeg (aka screenshot), pdf, NOT GIS
  • Q: Can you search by location ID?
    No
  • Residential submissions (nonusers) can also take speed tests. If you get a speed test and get a good speed – end of internation. If speed is low, you will be asked for more info and asked to repeat the test a couple times at different times.
    Nonprofit (gathering info in that location) will get the challenge and decide what do to with it.
  • Q: Will counties be able to see which residential locations have been submitted?
    No but the ISP will – if it is directed at them.
  • Q: Is there a bulk location limit?
    25,000 or fewer is recommended
    And 5mb limit for individual uploads (can upload multiples)
  • Q: Challenge notifications – can we get those via email or other?
    You will get a negative email notification. Otherwise assume it’s going forward and you can check the portal.
  • Q: Stinks that ISPs can see challenges but local government can’t. When residential challenge is submitted via nonprofit – will they get notifications?
    No.  The nonprofit could reach out – but nothing automatic.
  • Also local nonprofit could collect info for residents.

Session Chat

  • Sign up for the OBD emails: mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/contact/
  • Keep an eye on the OBD webpage for the latest info + resources on BEAD: mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/bead/
  • Contact OBD: deed.broadband@state.mn.us  or (651) 259-7610
  • Registration links for upcoming sessions: 
  • Thursday August 1st, register here
  • Thursday August 8th, register here
  • Thursday August 15th, register here
  • Thursday August 22nd, register here
  • Thursday August 29th, register here
  • Thursday September 5th, register here
  • Thursday September 12th, register here 
  • Thursday September 19th, register here
  • Is there any way to search by LocationID?
  • Is the system limited to individual location challenges?
    No you can submit bulk challenges – Caitlyn will demo
  • can you upload a polygon or shapefile?
    No
    why?
  • In the Un/Underserved csv, what is the Funded column?  If funded is Y does that mean these locations will not be available for BEAD funding?
  • Will we see the challenges that residences submitted as unlogged users who submit “service request issues”?
  • can challengers upload a csv file in a bulk challenge?
  • What is the planned service date?
    6/30/24 was in the IPVI
    The planned service date is 6/30/24.
    The date for a Planned Service challenge is 6/30/24. We had discussed with NTIA moving that to a later date so that we could verify that construction had occurred and if not, then add the location back on to the list of BEAD eligible locations. NTIA told us there was no way we could add a location back on to the list if not constructed. Without that benefit, it did not seem beneficial to push the Planned service date back. We should be able to capture any construction completed in 2024 through the deduplication process
  • Caitlyn will discuss how to do a bulk challenge with the map tool.
  • Does the planned service date mean services need to be launched by that date or construction contracts need to be in place before that date?
  • I didn’t see the csv file upload option in the ISP
  • None of those upload options are GIS data types
    jpeg is a picture that would require hunting and pecking
  • How do we “draw” MN B2B awarded enforceable commitments? How will we get the lines exactly right?
  • Seems like uploading a csv or shp file would be more accurate
  • State funded Border to Border, Lower Population Density and Line Extension awarded locations will be handled through the deduplicaton process.
  • How is a property type listed as “Non-Residential,” reviewed in a challenge? The same way as if the location is a property type “Residential?”
    For example, is a “Non-Residential” location considered to be a location that can be challenged?
    The BEAD program is intended to get service to all unserved and underserved locations, regardless of whether the location is a business or residence. So no difference in treatment if res or bus.
  • A county government may have more than one person registered into the system to submit a challenge.  Correct?
    Yes. Someone needs to sign up first and then everyone else will see the option to join that account.

Info on the ongoing sessions from OBD…

The Office of Broadband Development will be hosting a weekly office hours Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. during the BEAD Challenge process, to provide updates on the Challenge and Rebuttal processes. Initial sessions will include walkthroughs by AppGeo of the Challenge Portal. These walkthroughs will be recorded, and posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.
Eligible challengers and community members with questions are encouraged to register and join.

Register for office hour sessions below!

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