Montana begins broadband challenge process

Montana on January 8, 2024, joined a small list of states that have kicked off their broadband challenge process.

The state joins Louisiana, Virginia, Kansas and Colorado as this first group of five states that have also already started the process under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant program for broadband infrastructure.

States are able to kick off the process after approval, by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, of the state’s Volume 1 initial proposal. That was announced on January 2.

The eligibility rules for the challenge are determined by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BEAD program, and Montana’s state challenge process is designed to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to challenge the eligibility of locations for funding.

Challengers can dispute the data sourced from the National Broadband Map by using relevant and allowable evidence.

Here is the timeline that Montana said it is following for the challenge process:

• January 8, 2024- Post challenge materials, including deduplicated list of locations
• January 12, 2024- Host Deep Dive Challenge Process Webinar
• January 15, 2024- Officially open Portal
• January 26, 2024- Challenge Process Office Hours
• February 14, 2024- Challenge Phase Closes

Montana was allocated $628 million in June 2023 as part of the NTIA’s allocation of $42.5 billion in BEAD funds.