Cox Communications asked judges Monday to block Rhode Island from going ahead with its plan for more than $100 million in broadband expansion grants.
In preparation for implementing its $108 million portion of the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, Rhode Island was required to solicit challenges to government broadband coverage data. Cox asked Rhode Island Superior Court judges to invalidate the state’s map – which is still being ironed out – arguing the company wasn’t given the chance to prove it served certain households.
Using the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband map as a base, the state used speed test data to mark some locations as BEAD-eligible before taking challenges, something allowed by program rules. That led to about 30,000 locations in Cox’s footprint being marked as underserved, meaning they receive speeds slow enough to be eligible for new BEAD-funded infrastructure.
Rhode Island Commerce reports…
The following is a statement from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (Corporation) regarding the lawsuit filed by Cox Communications (Cox):
“Cox’s lawsuit is both misleading and unsupported by facts. …
And yet, our state’s leading provider, Cox, declined to engage in the robust, months-long public planning process on how the Corporation would deploy Rhode Island’s BEAD funds. Cox did not submit public comments on the design of the BEAD program, did not raise concerns at public Broadband Advisory Council meetings (where they are the sole provider represented), and declined to share its network map information during the 90-day Rhode Island Broadband Map Challenge Process. Our planning process was open and participatory, and Cox did not participate.
I cannot speak to the situation in Rhode Island but just yesterday, at the MN Broadband Task Force Meeting, folks were talking about the need to seek State funding for broadband to supplement BEAD funding. BEAD is the elephant in the room, but I think it’s helpful to be aware of outside forces that might impact how fast, slow or successfully the elephant walks the tightwire and to prepare for anything.