D.C. Memo: Texas Wants to Kill BEAD’s Low-Cost Option Mandate
◾ Sen. Sullivan: Starlink 'Not Reliable' in Alaska ◾ Copper Theft Explodes In Fort Worth ◾ Montana Broadband Head: Starlink a 'Luxury Option' ◾ Sens. Scott, Paul Want to Stop Major Rules
BEAD: The top broadband official in Texas wants NTIA to make a big change to the $42.45 billion BEAD program: Kill the requirement forcing ISPs to offer a low-cost broadband service option. “This requirement is viewed as running counter to [the] legislative mandate against rate regulation. Removing this requirement may increase overall provider participation and support efficient deployment of funds,” said Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar in a Feb. 6 letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). “Removing the low-cost service option would also reduce the administrative burden placed on [State Broadband Offices] to identify ‘eligible households’ and monitor subgrantee’s compliance with the requirement.” Texas is expecting to collect $3.3 billion in BEAD grant dollars after it became the last state to receive NTIA approval to begin funding BEAD projects. “Regrettably, NTIA's approval process was unnecessarily protracted, requiring numerous revisions over an 11-month period,” Hegar said. (Continued after paywall.)
