Special Statement of Broadband Map v5 and Federal Program Eligibility

It is the Office’s current understanding that Broadband Map v5 will NOT be used as the basis for eligibility determinations under the National Telecommunication & Information Administration’s ("NTIA") upcoming Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (“BEAD”) program. These determinations will be made by NTIA with reference to maps being developed by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"). However, the Office may use the data established in Broadband Map v5 to develop challenges to the FCC map used to establish final allocations and eligibility determinations under the BEAD program.

As set forth on Broadband Map v5, “likely eligible” vs “likely ineligible” determinations DO NOT reflect a guarantee or final determination that such locations will be deemed eligible by the FCC or NTIA under the BEAD program. The Office is aware that locations with 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload or faster wireless service are ineligible under the BEAD program guidelines and asks that challengers DO NOT submit challenges solely on the basis that locations without wireline service but reporting 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload wireless service or faster are ineligible under BEAD and should be reported as “likely ineligible” on Broadband Map v5.

The Office understands the BEAD guidelines and recognizes that 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload service or faster results in ineligibility under BEAD regardless of whether the technology present is wireless or wireline. Any preliminary determination of “likely eligible” affixed to a location reporting 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload or faster wireless only service is intended to signal that the Office believes such locations MAY be eligible under OTHER (i.e., not BEAD) federal programs with different eligibility standards. If the Office officiates the distribution of federal funds under programs OTHER than BEAD, the Office will release final eligibility GIS layers that reflect the conditions of eligibility under those federal funding sources at the time such grant opportunities are posted, which may reflect that locations with 100 mbps download / 20 mbps upload wireless only service are eligible.