Maine Enters BEAD Rebuttal Phase

June 10, 2024 – Maine’s Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program entered its rebuttal phase on Friday, as part of the challenge process required by the federally funded program. 

During the rebuttal period, internet service providers and other eligible challengers, such as nonprofit organizations, and local and municipal governments, have the opportunity to agree or disagree with the challenges made. Prior to this phase, the Maine Connectivity Authority conducted a location analysis and processed all challenges to verify that each was submitted properly and had necessary evidence. 

The $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program allocates funds to states to deploy high-speed internet to every address in the state. This process requires that the state creates a map of broadband coverage within its jurisdiction and opens a challenge process for stakeholders, ISPs and local governments to challenge the claims on the map. These challenges can then be rebutted by the internet service provider of that address to ensure that the maps are as accurate as possible before funding is distributed.

Rebuttal submissions must be submitted to the MCA within 25 calendar days. Challenges are organized by internet service providers and are accessible through the rebuttal portal. Maine will publish a public list of all challenges.

The MCA asked that Maine citizens continue to take the Maine Speed Test as it will “help inform MCA’s broader strategy and will help illustrate where improvements to broadband infrastructure have been made and are still needed.”

Maine was awarded $272 million through the BEAD program, and is expected to take 6 years to complete. The state’s first volume of its BEAD initial proposal was approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in December. Approval for volume two is still undergoing.