Rock Island Today

Illinois is taking the next step in its efforts to enhance broadband access across the state for its residents. The Illinois Broadband Lab (IBL), in collaboration with the Illinois Office of Broadband and the University of Illinois System, is deploying $1.04 billion in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds.

One of the key initiatives under the BEAD Program is to challenge the accuracy of the FCC broadband map's designation of unserved and underserved locations. By allowing local governments, nonprofit organizations, and Internet service providers to challenge the map, the aim is to ensure that federal resources are directed to areas where they are most needed.

To kickstart this initiative, Illinois plans to launch its map challenge in January 2024, pending final approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Entities eligible for participation can now sign up for the upcoming challenge process by completing a pre-registration webform.

In preparation for the challenge, the IBL is hosting a series of webinars in December to provide assistance and insight for interested eligible entities. The webinars will cover various topics, including the BEAD challenge process preparations, understanding and using FCC Fabric or the Illinois BEAD Challenge Map, speed test data collection, and best practices for documenting and aggregating challenges.

These webinars will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 12, and Tuesday, Dec. 19, from 1:00-2:00 pm. Participants can register for the webinars on the IBL's website. Additional webinars will be scheduled for early January to guide participants on how to submit challenges to the Illinois portal before the process formally opens. The specific challenge period dates will depend on the timing of federal approval.

The Connect Illinois Five-Year Action Plan provides more information on Illinois' plans to utilize the new federal broadband funds. Interested parties can also find more details on Illinois' proposed challenge process on the IBL's website.

In the words of the Illinois Office of Broadband: "The hope is that allowing these entities to challenge the map will ensure that federal resources are directed to areas where they are most needed."

Illinois is determined to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all residents have access to reliable and high-speed internet. With the collaboration between the IBL, the Illinois Office of Broadband, and the University of Illinois System, the state is taking significant steps towards achieving its goals in broadband expansion.

To find out more, go to this link: https://senatorneilanderson.com/2023/12/11/next-phase-of-illinois-broadband-expansion/