States Fielding Input from Unlicensed WISPs
Virginia Tech researchers estimate the technology could make up to 1.1 million locations ineligible.
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2025 – Many broadband offices are already soliciting input from unlicensed fixed wireless providers in their states, giving the ISPs a chance to potentially shield their coverage areas from being eligible for $42.45 billion in broadband funding.
On June 6, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration handed down new rules for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, forcing every state and territory to run an additional round of bidding set to be less favorable to fiber. States will have to submit new final spending plans within 90 days from the date of the notice.
As part of that, states also have to update their eligibility maps with the presence of fixed wireless coverage on unlicensed spectrum, sometimes called ULFW, within 30 days.
FROM SPEEDING BEAD SUMMIT
Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?
Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD
Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO Guidance
Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills
Locations served with only the technology had under the Biden administration been deemed eligible for BEAD infrastructure because of reliability concerns.
States have to reach out to the providers in their state who report ULFW coverage to the FCC and give them seven days to signal intent to make some of their locations ineligible. They then have another seven days to provide evidence they can mitigate interference and meet BEAD service requirements for at least four years.
In Louisiana, Delaware, and Nevada – the three states that had finished making awards and got now-rescinded NTIA approval under the Biden administration – those letters of intent are due this week. The same goes for at least half a dozen other states, with several others posting deadlines next week. Notices are frequently posted on state broadband office websites.
Mapping effort could take away eligibility for 1.1 million locations
Researchers at Virginia Tech estimated that the new mapping effort could take as many as 824,000 to 1.1 million locations off the BEAD eligibility map, based on where ULFW coverage is claimed to the FCC. The number of eligible locations has been shrinking over the years as states improved their mapping and buildouts continued during BEAD planning efforts. A May NYU analysis found the total had dropped 57 percent from 2023, now down to about 5.5 million.
The Virginia Tech researchers, led by Shaddi Hasan, an assistant professor of computer science, noted that the number of locations taken off the map by the ULFW effort was still up in the air. States could find some or much of the reported coverage doesn’t meet the standards necessary to mark a location served, and the analysis didn’t take into account state-level eligibility maps, which underwent local challenge processes and now differ from the FCC’s national map.
Hasan noted the FCC technology code for ULFW was odd in that it encompased a range of technical standards, which he said could offer “wildly different performance characteristics and capacity.”
“ISPs can absolutely use ULFW technologies to provide reliable, 100 * 20 broadband service, and such networks can be built with adequate capacity to serve large numbers of locations, and plenty of ULFW providers run excellent networks,” he wrote. “However, because of the variability in technologies and standards, there’s more potential for variation in the quality of ULFW than other technologies.”
States will have to hustle to make the 30-day deadline for new maps, which appears to be July 6.
Because of the time constraints, “there will be no time for curing ULFW evidence submissions” in Delaware, the state’s broadband office said. “Improper or inadequate submissions may result in the broadband office rejecting your submission in full or in part which will impact the funding status of these BEAD locations.”
Multiple other broadband offices used the same language.
The Missouri Office of Broadband Development also gave providers a heads up that things generally would be moving faster than the process that was already under way.
“In light of this abbreviated timeline, OBD will need to move quickly to interpret and begin implementing new guidance,” the office told stakeholders. “In some cases, OBD may request information or submissions from stakeholders in shorter time spans than have been customary in OBD broadband programs.”
State broadband heads have said their main focus is keeping providers interested in applying again so competition stays high. It’s an unexpected expense, and companies that applied over several states, which previously had staggered timelines, will now have to redo or supplement their applications all at once.
“We understand that this new uncertainty surrounding this program likely generates frustration and disappointment,” Maine’s broadband office wrote in an email after the new rules came out. “We continue to be extremely grateful for the collaboration of all our partners as we work together to close the digital divide and connect ALL people in Maine.”
