Illinois BEAD Challenge Webinar Series

Illinois’ BEAD Challenge Process (Webinar Series): Illinois Broadband Lab (IBL) outreach to help eligible entities prepare to participate in the map challenge and make sure Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds go where they are needed.   

Date/Time TBA

Illinois was awarded just over $1 billion in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding to connect all homes and businesses to high-speed internet. 

 

Over the past year, the Illinois Broadband Lab (IBL), a collaboration between the Illinois Office of Broadband and the University of Illinois System, has been engaging with residents, local governments, and other stakeholders to develop a plan for using the funds to meet the state’s broadband needs. The input received from across Illinois and careful analysis of the current internet landscape is reflected in the Connect Illinois Five-Year Action Plan. 

Before federal funds will be released, the BEAD Program requires states to conduct a process to allow local governments, nonprofit organizations, and internet service providers to challenge the accuracy of the FCC broadband map’s listing of unserved and underserved locations. The final map will determine which locations are eligible for BEAD funds. Illinois is planning to launch its map challenge in January 2024. The state’s proposed challenge process is outlined in Volume I of Illinois’ Initial Proposal.

Please register for the IBL’s upcoming series of webinars to help eligible entities prepare to participate in the map challenge and make sure BEAD funds go where they are needed. These webinars will take place in early January to cover how to submit challenges to the Illinois portal before the process formally opens. The exact challenge period is dependent on the timing of NTIA approval.