Washington, D.C.’s BEAD deployment funding has been denied by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), according to published reports. The decision has been connected to comments by Arielle Roth, the NTIA administrator, in a recent op-ed in the Washington Post.
Roth’s op-ed described Washington, D.C.’s original BEAD proposal as featuring several “red flags,” a characterization highlighted by Telecompetitor. She noted that the district initially proposed spending about $70,000 per service location, a figure that drew scrutiny amid subsequent revisions.
After a request for a revised plan, Roth said the district submitted a BEAD proposal with an average cost closer to $6,000 per location.
“How does a $70,000 bid drop to $6,000 with no material changes? Did these locations require federal funding at all?” Roth was quoted as writing, a sentiment echoed in reports from Telecompetitor.
Industry observers note that BEAD’s current benchmark for the average cost per service location sits around $5,786, according to Connected Nation. Roth also raised concerns about Washington, D.C.’s broadband mapping history, pointing to findings cited in the Senate Commerce Committee’s 2023 Red Light Report.
Historically, Congress had granted Washington, D.C. more than $100 million in BEAD funds under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The denial of funds in this instance is notable because, to date, the district is the only eligible BEAD entity described in reports as having been outright denied by the NTIA, a contrast to other recent BEAD developments in states such as Louisiana.
The NTIA’s decision, coming amid scrutiny of DC’s BEAD proposal and mapping practices, underscores the ongoing challenges and milestone discussions as BEAD funding moves toward deployment across eligible communities.
