BEAD

Service Providers and California Officials Warn BEAD Builds Won’t Solve Affordability

Providers cited payment instability and post-construction costs, while officials urged an Affordability Connectivity Program replacement.

Akul Saxena

Jan 28, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of (from left), James Hackett, chief executive of Cruzio Internet; Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-Calif.,; Joshua Edmonds, co-founder of DigitalC; Ana Maria Johnson, assistant deputy director at the California Public Utilities Commission; and Stephen Schwerbel (moderator), director of state advocacy at WISPA

MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 28, 2026 — State regulators, a California congressman, and broadband providers warned that federal infrastructure spending alone will not close the digital divide, citing unresolved gaps in affordability, oversight, and long-term network sustainability.

The warnings came during a panel on multi-state broadband grant programs held alongside the Connecting Communities Summit. Speakers argued that the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program represents a major buildout effort, not a complete broadband policy.

Ana Maria Johnson, deputy executive director at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), said California’s broadband strategy has evolved significantly since the launch of the California Advanced Services Fund in 2008.

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BEAD Tarana Wireless Summit 2026 CPUC DigitalC Ana Maria Johnson Stephen Schwerbel Joshua Edmonds Sam Liccardo California California Advanced Services Fund ARPA Capital Projects Fund James Hackett Cruzio Internet Santa Cruz Cleveland Milpitas GAO ACP