Tampa, Fla., (February 12, 2024)— During the opening of the 2024 RTIME, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo encouraged small, community-based broadband providers to pursue Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program grants, telling NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield in a recorded fireside chat that the agency will continue to work to help address administrative burdens, supply chain constraints and workforce challenges.
Raimondo discussed the Biden administration’s goals for the program—representing the single biggest public investment made to try to connect every American to top-notch broadband service—and shared with over 2,200 RTIME attendees that the agency stands ready to support small providers as they vie for BEAD grants beside much larger operators.
“My message to the thousands of people listening to us today: Apply, apply," Raimondo said. “We want you to apply. We need you to apply. We will work with you and hold your hand so that you can apply. The message is: Prepare to compete and win. You can win.”
Raimondo also stressed that collaboration is critical to the success of the program, noting NTCA’s advocacy to achieve a waiver of certain Letter of Credit requirements as one example of the “pitch and catch” required between government and industry stakeholders. Bloomfield and Raimondo also discussed efforts to help mitigate supply chain constraints that could arise when BEAD-funded buildouts begin and how the administration is encouraging more Americans, particularly women, to pursue jobs in the broadband industry.
“It's hard to find and recruit people. That's the challenge. But it's such an exciting opportunity,” Raimondo said. “We think we’ll create…at least 150,000 jobs, laying the fiber, connecting the homes. So, we have a huge focus on workforce, working with partners to find people and train people.”
The fireside chat was conducted in late January as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) continued its review of state rules to govern grant distribution. NTCA has focused recent BEAD program advocacy on broadband map challenge processes, promoting fiber deployments to the greatest extent possible, seeking clarification related to requirements for low-cost and affordable services, and arguing for greater flexibility in state and tribal historical preservation reviews, among other things. Other programming happening at RTIME this week will explore middle mile and last-mile connectivity needs, construction and permitting challenges, the future of the Universal Service Fund and cybersecurity trends.
###
About NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing over 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.