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Outreach: News and Events
Monthly Roundtables
(All times are in Central Time.)
- Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. – Local Government and Community Roundtable (via Teams)
- Nov. 26 at 3 p.m. – Industry Roundtable (via Teams)
Upcoming Events
- Texas Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Challenge Process Webinar Series
- Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. – Webinar recording (coming soon)
- Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. – Register for November 13th webinar
- Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. – Register for November 13th webinar
- Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. – Register for November 13th webinar
- Dec. 3 – Texas BEAD Challenge Process begins.
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Challenge Process
The Broadband Development Office (BDO) is pleased to announce the BEAD Challenge Process will be open Dec. 3-17, 2024. The challenge process is vital to ensuring the state accurately represents location-level funding eligibility for the BEAD Program.
Nonprofit and community organizations, local and tribal government entities, and internet service providers (ISPs) will be eligible to file challenges. Residents will also be encouraged to participate in the challenge process by submitting required documentation for their units of local government (e.g., councils of government) and nonprofit entities.
To ensure challengers are prepared, the BDO will host several webinars leading up to the Texas Availability Challenge Process, with the first scheduled for Oct. 30, 2024. These webinars will cover the process and inputs needed to successfully file a challenge.
Eligible challengers are encouraged to acquire their Tier D or Tier E license from CostQuest now. These licenses will be needed to file a challenge. Please visit BroadbandUSA for more information.
Bring Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) II Application Challenge Period Closes
The BDO has successfully completed an essential phase of its BOOT II program, with the application challenge period closing Sept. 30, 2024. The office received 39 challenges and is reviewing all submitted evidence to determine their validity. Applicants affected by upheld challenges were notified and granted 30 days to amend their applications.
BDO staff will continue to evaluate received applications and conduct evaluations. The office anticipates making awardee announcements in mid-November 2024.
Further program details are available on the BOOT II webpage.
Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program Updates
The BDO received $18.5 million in reimbursement requests for its Pole Replacement Program. Awardee notifications are expected to begin in early November 2024.
A second round of funding will be initiated with the publication of a second Notice of Funding Opportunity later this fall. The program dashboard continues to provide statistical information and can be accessed from the Pole Replacement Program webpage.
State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program (SDECGP) Application Submitted
The BDO applied to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) SDECGP on May 27, 2024; the office is awaiting approval of the application.
Once approved, Texas will be granted access to the allocated $55.6 million to implement digital opportunity initiatives identified in the Texas Digital Opportunity Plan. The BDO will fund capacity-enabling programs to meet the needs of Texas’ covered populations. More information about how the BDO will utilize these funds is forthcoming.
Multi-dwelling Unit (MDU) Request for Information (RFI) Released
The BDO released an RFI on Oct. 1, 2024, seeking more information on the broadband infrastructure and digital opportunity needs in MDUs across the state.
The BDO seeks to better understand the Texas landscape of broadband availability in MDUs, and responses are intended to inform the office as it designs a program to best address the broadband needs of MDU residents in Texas.
Nonprofits, ISPs, community-based organizations, housing authorities, property managers, local governments and other entities with knowledge of this topic are encouraged to respond to the questions included in the RFI, which is available on the Electronic State Business Daily and includes submission instructions. The BDO will accept responses until Oct. 22, 2024, at 2 p.m.
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