Congrats Nevada on Being Ready for BEAD

The road to BEAD compliance is one fraught with challenges, but thanks to the diligent work of the Nevada State Broadband Office, Silver Staters are one step closer to being ready for BEAD; When Nevada launches their challenge process, it will be powered by Ready’s Challenge Process Coordinator. 

Nevada is a state known for its subterranean treasures – whether that's the state’s namesake, silver – or gold and copper – or even black opals! Hopefully soon another precious resource will be found in vast quantities beneath the sands of Nevada: fiber! 

And it will take quite a bit of fiber to connect the entire state! Nevada is the seventh largest state by area at 109,781 square miles – just below Arizona and right above Colorado. Even though the state’s name is derived from the Spanish word for “snow clad” (courtesy of the Sierra Nevada mountains on its western border), it is actually the most arid state in the country with only 10.3 inches of rain per year. 

And across that sand (and snow), Nevada has got it all: vast stretches of rural land, tribal communities, and cities – not least of which is the Marriage Capital of the World, Las Vegas. 

To ensure that urban, rural, and tribal communities all get the broadband service they need and deserve, Nevada will be using Ready’s challenge process to facilitate improved communication between its state broadband office, its consultants, grant applicants, and eligible entities that will be filing challenges. The challenge process coordinator uses a single portal that serves as a repository for all challenges and rebuttals filed in the state.

The software uses tools like automatic messaging to keep all parties up to date on the status of their challenge/rebuttal, along with a public map that reflects changes to application areas, and other tools that are purpose-built to allow small teams to take on huge tasks. 

And Nevada’s broadband office certainly faces a huge task on the road ahead; the NTIA allocated $416.7 million to Nevada through BEAD, tasking the office with connecting over 53,000 unserved locations and approximately 13,300 underserved locations. 

Despite the doubtless challenges they will face, Silver Staters’ broadband officials remain unwavering and unflinching in their efforts to connect every serviceable location to high speed, affordable, broadband.

Nevada has joined a cadre of trailblazing states that use Ready’s software solutions to power their state broadband offices, and conduct their challenge processes. These states include Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, Kansas, New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, New Mexico, Delaware, North Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, Montana, and more.