In the Office of Broadband Development Office Hour this morning, someone asked how many years low-Earth orbit satellite (LEO) had to deliver the speeds required to be eligible for BEAD funding. The answer was that OBD would adhere to NTIA guidance. So an hour later an article on LEO and BEAD in Broadband Breakfast caught my attention because it gave a more specific answer…
As broadband officials dig into the fine print of updated guidance governing a $42.45 billion federal broadband expansion program, many raised concerns Monday about new advantages carved out for low-Earth orbit satellite providers.
One of the clearest examples, they argued, was a provision under revised rules for the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program, that gives satellite providers up to 10 years to meet performance benchmarks — more than double the four years allowed for fiber and other technologies to comply. The rules, released by the Commerce Department earlier this month, purport to be “tech neutral,” but critics continue to find biases within them.
I don’t read the Guidance as giving satellite 10 years to meet bead performance standards. The guidance says very clearly that satellite has to offer broadband in 4 years. That means be offering service meeting BEAD’s performance standards.
And then continue to offer it for 10 years.