On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Colorado’s final proposal under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, unlocking $420.6 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for the state’s broadband infrastructure.
The investment means that high-speed internet is on its way to more than 96,000 Coloradans, according to the CBO, with Eric Hittle, technical director of the Archuleta County Broadband Services Management Office noting the project will include about $22 million in investment in Archuleta County.
“I think it’s exciting and a lot of investment going into the area,” Hittle said.
“For too long, thousands of Coloradans have been stuck without the reliable, high-speed internet needed to work, learn, run a business or access health care. This historic investment will help ensure that Coloradans have access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet required to thrive,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a Tuesday press release.
The press release explains, “This strategic deployment will connect rural and some urban homes and businesses using a variety of technologies that include a mix of fiber, wireless, and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that will be connected by internet service providers.”
Hittle explained that, while there will be some wireless and some LEO awards as part of the funding, it will be predominately fiber in Archuleta County.
“There are going to be awards of all three,” he said.
To find out which broadband technology each location will receive using BEAD funding, refer to the BEAD Final Proposal Map at bit.ly/444ZIPg.
“This approval from the NTIA is the culmination of years of intensive planning and application processes. This is a monumental win for rural Coloradans who have lacked access to high-speed internet,” said Brandy Reitter, CBO executive director, via the press release. “This highly anticipated $420.6 million in BEAD funding will be strategically deployed to connect our most remote communities, directly addressing the digital divide.”
Hittle explained 1,366 addresses in Archuleta County will be served by those receiving BEAD awards — primarily the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Visionary Communications — with about 1,300 being fiber to the home and about 30 being wireless, for a total investment of about $22.33 million.
But, Hittle noted, “The contracts aren’t signed yet.”
Following this approval, National Institute of Standards Technology will have 20 days to review Colorado’s plan, then the state will have 30 days to review and sign, according to the press release.
Once these steps have been completed, the CBO will be able to initiate grant agreements, draw down funds and move forward with BEAD projects.
Once awarded, grantees will have four years to complete construction on their projects.
The BEAD program was created through the IIJA as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s “Internet for All” initiative, and includes major broadband provisions drawn from Sen. Michael Bennet’s bipartisan BRIDGE Act, the press release explains.
Sens. Bennet, John Hickenlooper and Congressman Joe Neguse played a central role in shaping and passing this historic investment, according to the press release, helping secure more than $5 million in planning funds in 2022 and over $826 million in BEAD allocations for Colorado in 2023.
“Their work to modernize broadband standards, expand affordability programs, and prioritize unserved and underserved communities positioned Colorado as one of the first states in the nation to receive NTIA approval to access BEAD funding and move from planning to implementation,” the release states. “This strong federal-state partnership laid the foundation for today’s approval and continues to accelerate Colorado’s progress toward connecting households with affordable, reliable high-speed internet.”
Hittle indicated the work in Archuleta County and Region 9 will build off of other work happening in the area, including a middle-mile effort along Colo. 151 that began last week and other last-mile work that has been taking place in Archuleta County that is set to be completed by next year.
He added all the work together could bring the area to more than 3,000 households of about 9,000 households served.
He added there are also already indications the area will see non-grant builds filling in the gaps, with the grant-funded projects helping to build infrastructure and providers having personnel in the area.
He suggested the area could see as many as a couple thousand more households served in the same time period as the BEAD grant.
“And then it starts to get harder after that,” he said of putting in infrastructure, adding there are also other options with LEO technology.
He added the funding will definitely be a “game-changer.”
See Appendix A of the final proposal at bit.ly/4asBJgM for a list of the projects that will move forward to connect thousands of currently unserved and underserved locations with high-speed internet access.
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