BEAD CZAR CASTIGATED BY CARR—FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has maintained a count on X of the number of days the BEAD program has languished under the direction of Vice President Kamala Harris and NTIA administrator Alan Davidson. It’s likely he’ll announce today’s 1,001-day milestone, which has become a millstone for many contractors who can’t maintain staffing to assist in its deployment.
In a chess rating system, breaking 1,000 indicates that a player has moved beyond the beginner level and can recognize common tactical patterns and avoid simple blunders.
However, today, the broadband equity, access, and deployment (BEAD) program rollout has broken 1,000 days since BEAD was enacted, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr believes the opposite is true for the current administration—that “0 Americans have been connected and 0 shovels worth of dirt turned,” detailing a less-than-tactical deployment pattern.
According to Carr, who believes the bungled program that is affecting wireless contractors can be laid at the doorstep of 2024 presidential hopeful Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tapped to lead the administration’s rural broadband expansion.
He also attributes these delays to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which he claims has introduced additional layers of red tape, including a complex nine-step review process.
In a recent X post, Carr said: “Pennsylvania alone is supposed to be getting $1.16 billion of the $42B based on needing to extend the Internet to 278,536 unserved homes and businesses. But not one of those locations has been connected with these dollars. There’s still time to correct course & start connecting communities. Begin by eliminating the DEI mandates, dropping the climate change agenda, reversing the unlawful technology bias, and cutting out the layers of needless red tape added on by the Biden-Harris Administration. Three years ago.”
These delays are having significant repercussions on contractors and the nation. Contractors are hesitant to engage with the program due to the stringent regulations, including requirements for prevailing wages and low-cost services, which they argue could increase project costs and deter participation. Moreover, the broader impact on the nation is the continued lack of broadband access in underserved areas, which is exacerbating the digital divide that the BEAD program was intended to address