Townships May Challenge Broadband Service from Local Providers until May 23

Posted on April 25, 2024 |

The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) opened its BEAD Challenge Submission Window, which allows challenges from local governments and nonprofits to be submitted until May 23. Challenges must be submitted online and could include a provider service level that your residents can document is different from that provided by their broadband provider (such as saying that service is available but failing to provide requested service), as well as funding granted to a broadband provider through another source. If your township is interested in submitting a challenge, you will need to complete a registration before you can submit challenges.

Please visit the BEAD Challenge webpage for additional details on the challenge process, including registration for the BEAD Challenge portal, reviewing the public map that identifies those areas deemed unserved, underserved, served, funded and statewide Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs). You can also watch the recording of the BEAD Challenge webinar that was held on March 29 and download the PowerPoint presentation used during the webinar which provides step-by-step directions for the types of challenges that can be submitted and how to submit them.

Townships interested in submitting bulk challenges should consider requesting a license from CostQuest Associates. Tier D licenses are available here. Tier E licenses are available here. While a license is not required to participate and access the BEAD Challenge portal, it will help to simplify the submission of bulk challenges.

The timeline for the BEAD Challenge process is broken down into 3, 30-day windows:

Challenge Submission Period: Eligible entities will be able to submit challenges until May 23.
Rebuttal of Challenges: Entities that have been challenged will have until June 22 to respond.
Final Determinations: The PBDA will decided if challenges and rebuttals are valid or not by July 22.

Questions can be submitted to the PBDA at pabroadbandauthority@pa.gov.