NTCA Applauds NTIA BEAD Letter of Credit Waiver

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association released the following statement from CEO Shirley Bloomfield after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced a waiver of aspects of its Letter of Credit requirements under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program:
  
“NTCA members have a proven track record of success and service to rural America and have a deep commitment and understanding of the needs of their communities. Although NTCA is still reviewing the precise details of the announcement with members, it appears to strike a welcome balance between promoting accountability in the use of BEAD program funds and relieving the burdens of stricter and more expansive letter of credit requirements. We greatly appreciate the Administration’s willingness to engage with NTCA and its members and to take the concerns of small rural broadband providers into consideration in refining BEAD obligations carefully, and we look forward to further collaboration as implementation of this historic program continues.”