BEAD Program: Tools and Resources
The Broadband Equity, Access, Deployment Program (BEAD) is a federal program administered by each state to deploy broadband infrastructure to locations that are unserved or underserved.
Indiana received $868m that will be administered by the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO). The purpose of BEAD is to ensure each resident is connected to high-capacity internet (aka broadband).
Prioritized locations would be…
1. Unserved (no internet access/less than 25/3 Mbps)
2. Underserved (internet access at or <100/20 Mbps)
3. Community Anchor Institutions (internet access <1000/1000 Mbps/1Gbps)
What is the Challenge Process?
The BEAD Program in Indiana mandates that the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) establish a “Challenge Process.” This process allows local governments, nonprofit organizations, or broadband providers to dispute the IBO’s decision regarding whether a specific area or community institution lacks adequate internet service and is eligible for BEAD funding. The Indiana BEAD Challenge Phase will be prolonged by an additional two weeks. Originally scheduled to conclude on April 3rd, it will now end on April 17th. To learn more about the challenge process, click here
BEAD Challenge Guide and Presentation
For some more in-depth info about the BEAD Challenge Process, here is a guide for residents. To view the presentation of the resident guide, watch the video:
BEAD Portal
Do you have unreliable internet connectivity? Have your voice heard! Click here to access the portal
Purdue’s BEAD Challenge Tool
This tool guides people through the steps of the challenge and helps gather data. Once submitted, the data will be stored in a database. The Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) will organize the data by county and send a CSV file to the relevant local government for their challenge submission. Click here to access.
Jay County BEAD Challenge Survey
Do you live or work in Jay County? Are you frustrated with your internet service? Do you even have internet access? Let us help! By completing this survey, you can help make sure Jay County’s information is correct as we seek federal funds to expand internet coverage. Click here to take the survey.