BEAD for Speed: Louisiana’s Broadband Efforts Lead Once Again
When the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced an overhaul of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that had been slowly unrolling since 2021, broadband offices across the country were tasked with revising years of work under tight deadlines. Louisiana’s ConnectLA rose to the occasion and executed a revised plan with swift determination, offering an example of brilliant government efficiency to the rest of the state and nation.
Historically, Louisiana has led in approval for BEAD milestones. Our state was among the first to gain final approval for BEAD funding and was recognized by free market groups, like the American Enterprise Institute, for encouraging competition among providers and avoiding as much bureaucracy as possible under the circumstances.
Along with rescinding final approval from the states that had gained it, the Benefit of the Bargain BEAD program outlined new priorities for broadband projects, like technological neutrality and the removal of rate regulations. Thanks to the groundwork already laid by ConnectLA, Louisiana was prepared to meet these requirements and released a draft of the new final proposal for public comment this month.
Under the Biden Administration’s original BEAD, 95% of locations in Louisiana were slated to be served by fiber. While fiber technologies make sense for more urban or crowded areas, they are inefficient when applied to the more rural and spread-out communities so desperately in need of fast and affordable internet. These communities are better served by alternative technologies, like low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, cable, or even fixed wire. The new final proposal shifts fiber locations down to 80%. Because the Benefit of the Bargain emphasized that funds should be allocated without preference for fiber, Louisiana residents can expect to experience the speed and efficiency of technologies best suited to their area.
The competition-forward approach encouraged by the NTIA and implemented by ConnectLA resulted in realizing approximately $250 million in savings for Louisiana’s BEAD program, reducing the average cost per passing by nearly 30% from $5,355 to $3,902. The savings will allow the state to fund other non-deployment projects consistent with state priorities to address challenges in economic development, workforce development, health care, cybersecurity, agriculture, and other important sectors and industries. In other words, even those who already have access to high-speed internet will benefit from the restructured BEAD.
ConnectLA has provided a powerful example of how priority government initiatives can be implemented alongside the private sector and local government leaders to achieve efficiencies and optimal outcomes. A small team with just four people, the broadband office has acted swiftly and with great adaptability in a state long plagued by a “digital divide.” Agencies and states eager to inspire confidence and leverage taxpayer dollars to their full advantage can look to this lean and mean approach.
Looking forward, Louisiana can expect a strengthened digital ecosystem. With increased broadband access and reliability, the state can better reap the rewards of a growing artificial intelligence (AI) sector. A galvanized broadband infrastructure also signals to investors and companies that Louisiana is open for business and is fertile ground for innovators and entrepreneurs alike.
Links to Learn More
Under Louisiana’s New BEAD Plan, 80% of Locations Will Get Fiber-Broadband Breakfast
BEAD by Example: The Next Chapter in the Broadband Saga – Pelican Policy
