Affordability Mapping Essential for BEAD Deployments, Experts Say
Neglecting to map regions where both affordability and accessibility limit high-speed internet subscriptions could impair effectiveness.
June 14, 2024 – Broadband experts said that collecting data that accurately tracks the adoption of broadband services is critical for connecting every unserved and underserved address in the United States, the goal set by the Biden Administration in its Internet for All initiative, at a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event Wednesday.
Panelists warned that failure to map areas where affordability and accessibility restrict high-speed internet subscriptions can hinder the efficacy of the $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Money is not allocated to areas where service is provided but adoption is low due to affordability barriers because broadband maps show that these areas are covered, they said.
Juliet Fink-Yates
