Glossary

A strategic, sequential framework used by adversaries to undermine digital systems: Discover – Find major data centers and substations (e.g., weather balloons, drones with hyperspectral sensors) Disturb – Confirm digital systems in identified facilities (e.g., neutron rays, DEWs) Disrupt –…

In Revenue Ruling 63-20 the IRS ruled that, in certain circumstances, bonds issued by a nonprofit corporation (the “Nonprofit”) will be considered issued on behalf of a Governmental Unit – thus allowing the interest on such bonds to be eligible for tax-exempt treatment. A 63-20 financing may help…

The 80/80 Performance Standard is an NTIA-mandated testing rule requiring that 80% of a provider’s speed tests achieve at least 80% of the required speed (80 Mbps down / 16 Mbps up for 100/20 service). Providers must conduct continuous automated testing across funded areas, and state broadband…

The 95th Percentile Latency Rule is a BEAD requirement that at least 95% of latency measurements during testing periods must be 100 milliseconds or less round-trip time . This ensures networks can support voice, video, and advanced applications such as AI, autonomous vehicles, and precision…

A national mental health crisis telephone and chat service that connects callers to trained crisis counselors. Launched in July 2022, 988 replaced the previous 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The RHTP addresses the looming expiration of American Rescue Plan Act funding for Oklahoma's…

Administrative expenses refer to the costs associated with the day-to-day management, operation, and oversight of a project, organization, or business. These expenses encompass various non-direct costs that support the overall functioning of the entity, such as salaries for administrative staff…

Advanced communications networks are next-generation telecommunications infrastructure encompassing 5G wireless, 6G research initiatives, terrestrial fiber optic systems, proliferated low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, and hybrid multi-modal architectures delivering high-bandwidth…

Aerial deployment involves installing cables or lines above the ground, often using utility poles, telephone poles, or other elevated structures. This method is visible and may involve attaching the cables to existing utility infrastructure, such as power lines or poles. Aerial deployment is…

A type of fiber optic cable that is usually used for outside installation on poles. Due to its installation environment, the design of aerial fiber optic cable must consider how to protect it from destruction by nature or man-made damage.

Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the previous Emergency Broadband Benefit Program has been renamed the Affordable Connectivity Program. Although the program's benefit has been lowered from $50/month to $30/month, the definitions and operative terms of the program remain intact…

An AI Edge Node is a distributed computing unit that brings artificial intelligence processing and inference closer to the point of use. By integrating specialized AI acceleration hardware with edge networking, these nodes enable real-time applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart…

AI-supportive telecommunications infrastructure refers to high-capacity, low-latency broadband networks designed to enable artificial intelligence workloads across distributed environments. This infrastructure includes dense fiber optic networks, robust middle-mile and backbone capacity, edge data…

Alternative connection paths, in the context of network resilience, refer to the provisioning of multiple, physically and logically distinct routes through which data can travel between a source and destination, such that the failure, degradation, or compromise of any single route does not result…

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included $350 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, administered by the Department of the Treasury, which can be used to provide broadband affordability and deployment programs to respond to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic and to meet…

The Annual Outage Allowance is a BEAD program rule that permits a maximum of 48 hours of service disruption per year . Outages beyond this threshold constitute compliance violations and may trigger clawbacks. To meet the standard, providers must track outages with timestamps, geolocation, and root…

Application Models are collaborative environments where community team members can aggregate, organize, and analyze all the research needed for successful grant applications.Rather than maintaining separate Excel workbooks, Word documents, and PDFs of your projects' economic models and financial…

Area Challenge: An optional rule in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s model challenge process. States are required to have such a challenge process – a way for consumers and providers to challenge state broadband map data – as part of their BEAD project implementation…

A class of asymmetric military technologies developed by China to disrupt or neutralize the technological superiority of more advanced adversaries, particularly in the digital and cyber domains. Originally a term from Chinese folklore and martial arts referring to a hidden or decisive weapon…

Overview Assassin's Mace (杀手锏, pronounced "sha-shou-jian") represents China's asymmetric warfare strategy aimed at defeating a technologically superior adversary by targeting critical vulnerabilities. Rooted in ancient Chinese strategic thinking, this concept envisions a suite of unconventional…

When the upload and download speeds do not match. A rate of 10 Mbps down/1 Mbps up would be asymmetric.

The capacity of infrastructure systems to diagnose, heal, reconfigure, and maintain critical services for 72+ hours without human intervention during crises.

The term is used by companies that offer subscription services to clients. It is a measure of the revenue generated by one subscriber per unit time, typically per year or month. It is a particularly useful measurement for companies in the telecommunications industry, which relies on subscribers or…

Compliant equipment to the Build America, Buy America Act that requires that all the iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in infrastructure projects funded by federal programs. It requires that 55 percent of all project costs are sourced from American manufacturing…

The Internet is really a network of networks, and the large trunk lines that connect them are referred to as the “backbone.” It can also be thought of as being like the highway system: the interstate highways are the backbones that connect regions that have highway networks of their own - Major…

In the world of Internet service, bandwidth is the capacity or maximum amount of data that can pass through a network connection at any time. Bandwidth is measured by speed in Megabits per second (Mbps) and Gigabits per second (Gbps).

The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Act (BEAD), a broadband grants program directed towards states and territories, imposes cybersecurity requirements upon subgrantees. There are four key baseline requirements that states (also known as Eligible Entities) must require applicants (or…

BEAD Supporting Funds are allocations that allow states to redirect non-deployment dollars toward infrastructure resilience, cybersecurity, workforce development, and advanced technologies. Eligible uses include redundant power systems, edge computing nodes, physical security upgrades, and…

Letter of Intent - due July 18, 2022, is the deadline for an Eligible Entity to submit a Letter of Intent to participate in the BEAD Program.  Request for Initial Planning Funds & Five-Year Action Plan - If the Eligible Entity requests Initial Planning Funds, it must submit an…

Benefit of the Bargain Analysis is a comprehensive evaluation framework that Eligible Entities must conduct to demonstrate optimal value achievement through their competitive subgrantee selection processes, comparing selected proposals against alternatives to justify public fund utilization…

A bit is the basic unit of information in computing. The name comes from “binary digit,” and each bit has one value, either 1 or 0, or on and off. It usually takes eight bits to represent one character of text; a group of eight bits makes a byte. Data file sizes are measured in bytes while data…

An integrated operational framework where cyber, physical, space, and information environments converge. In national digital security, "blended domains" acknowledges that threats and dependencies span across these domains, requiring coordinated defense strategies to protect critical broadband…

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the foundational routing protocol that enables autonomous networks—including internet service providers, enterprise networks, content delivery networks, and cloud providers—to exchange routing information and direct traffic across the global internet. Within…

Broadband refers to various high-capacity transmission technologies that transmit data, voice, and video across long distances and at high speeds. Common methods of transmission include coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, radio frequencies (referred to as wireless or microwave) and…

Need a Broadband Audit? Get it here.A Broadband Audit enables communities/governments/internet service providers etc to accurately understand their actual broadband needs. It helps to determine where broadband grant funding and investment should flow. The goal of conducting a broadband audit is to…

Passed on March 10, 2020, just prior to the significant shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act established new guidelines and rules for the Federal Communications Commission's production of new broadband availability…

Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funding eligibility for areas that are "unserved" and "underserved" will be determined by reference to the Broadband DATA Maps created under the Broadband DATA Act. IIJA, Section 60103.

A $42.45B formula grant program directed towards states and territories with the objective of closing the availability gap, as Congress finds that "access to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband is essential to full participation in modern life in the United States."

BEAD II is a policy framework and legislative concept describing a second phase of federal broadband investment that builds on the original Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program after core universal service objectives are met. Unlike BEAD I, which is narrowly focused on deploying…

A Broadband Feasibility Study evaluates the availability and quality of broadband Internet service provided in a given community. The Broadband Feasibility Study is used to generate a Broadband Feasibility Report that is used to provide recommendations to local leaders on how to improve the…

The Broadband Infrastructure Program is a $288 million broadband deployment program directed to partnerships between a state, or one or more political subdivisions of a state, and providers of fixed broadband service to support broadband infrastructure deployment to areas lacking broadband…

Broadband Serviceable Locations are the geographic coordinates of all structures where a broadband connection can be installed.

The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) was an approximately $4 billion grant program administered by NTIA to help bridge the technological divide; create jobs; and improve education, health care, and public safety in communities across the country. Funded by the American Recovery and…

A defined segment of a multi-year federal grant during which specific funds must be obligated and spent. Oklahoma's RHTP is divided into five budget periods from December 29, 2025 through October 30, 2030. Unspent funds roll forward one year but must be spent by the end of the following fiscal year…

Build America Buy America (BABA) are the federal requirements mandating that BEAD-funded infrastructure projects use domestic materials, products, and components to strengthen American manufacturing and supply chains. BABA applies to iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials…

According to the FCC’s “How to Format a Bulk Fabric Challenge” page (as updated on 09/13/2022) and other agency statements, there are seven types of bulk challenges that may be brought against the fabric’s data. Every challenge must be filed with the correct challenge code or will likely be…

Buried fiber deployments are buried below the layer where the soil freezes so they are are immune to wind and ice damage. This means that underground deployments are often more reliable than aerial routes, especially where poor weather is common.

A category of broadband Internet access that uses the infrastructure of cable TV network to provide Internet services. Cable Internet provides connectivity from the Internet service provider (ISP) to the end users in a similar manner as digital subscriber line (DSL) and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH).

Funds used by a company to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets such as property, plants, buildings, technology, or equipment. Capex is often used to undertake new projects or investments by a company.

Broadband deployment projects and digital connectivity projects are eligible uses for funding from the $10 billion Capital Projects Program, administered by the Department of the Treasury and funded by the American Rescue Plan. Each State has been allocated more than $100 million under that…

Particular combination of debt and equity used by a company to finance its overall operations and growth. Equity capital arises from ownership shares in a company and claims to its future cash flows and profits. Debt comes in the form of bond issues or loans, while equity may come in the form of…

A workforce development model that invests in educating local residents — particularly rural youth — to become healthcare workers who are statistically more likely to remain in their home communities. Oklahoma's CareerTech system, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology…

Carrier-neutral infrastructure is broadband infrastructure—such as fiber networks, conduit, towers, data centers, and interconnection facilities—that is owned or operated independently of any single service provider and made available on equal, nondiscriminatory terms to multiple carriers and…

System-wide collapse triggered by failures in interconnected digital infrastructure components.

The smallest geographic area for which the Bureau of the Census collects and tabulates decennial census data. Generally small in area. In a city, a census block looks like a city block bounded on all sides by streets. Census blocks in suburban and rural areas may be large, irregular, and bounded by…

A Census Block Group is a geographical unit used by the United States Census Bureau which is between the Census Tract and the Census Block. It is the smallest geographical unit for which the bureau publishes sample data, i.e. data which is only collected from a fraction of all households…

A federally recognized clinic model required to serve all patients regardless of their ability to pay, providing integrated mental health, substance use disorder, and primary care services under one roof. CCBHCs receive a prospective payment system rate that covers the full cost of services…

After submission of its Initial Proposal and before allocating BEAD funds received for the deployment of broadband networks, an Eligible Entity must conduct a challenge process. Under this process, a unit of local government, nonprofit organization, or broadband service provider can challenge a…

Clawback provisions are legal mechanisms that allow NTIA or Eligible Entities to recover BEAD funds already disbursed when subgrantees fail to meet requirements, deadlines, or service obligations. These provisions must be included in all subgrant agreements and may be triggered by issues such as…

A digital platform that facilitates connections between patients and community-based resources (such as food assistance, housing, utilities, transportation, and behavioral health services), and tracks whether referrals are actually fulfilled. Unlike a simple resource directory, a closed-loop…

A type of cable used to transmit data, the internet, video and voice communications. A coax cable is made up of an aluminum and copper shield with an outer plastic jacket with the dielectric insulator helping to minimize signal loss.

Common stock is a security that represents ownership in a corporation. Holders of common stock elect the board of directors and vote on corporate policies. This form of equity ownership typically yields higher rates of return long term. Common stock is reported in the stockholder's equity section…

Commonly accepted standards in telecommunications are widely adopted technical specifications and protocols that enable interoperability, reliability, and security across networks, equipment, and service providers. These standards—developed by recognized standards bodies and industry…

Signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Communications Act of 1934 created a unified regulatory system for communications. Among other things, it created the Federal Communications Commission, which replaced the Federal Radio Commission, and took over the regulation of interstate telephone…

An entity such as a school, library, health clinic, health center, hospital or other medical provider, public safety entity, institution of higher education, public housing organization, or community support organization that facilitates greater use of broadband service by vulnerable populations…

A lender with a specific mission to provide fair financing to communities that traditional financing does not reach. They can be for-profit, nonprofits, credit unions, banks, loan funds, or venture capital funds. All are certified by the Treasury Department’s CDFI Fund. Partnering with a CDFI is a…

A frontline public health professional who is a trusted member of and has an unusually close understanding of the community they serve. CHWs bridge the gap between health and social services, connecting community members to care, providing health education, and supporting care navigation. The RHTP…

A law enacted in 1977 that requires the Federal Reserve and all other federal banking regulators to encourage financial institutions and lenders to meet the credit needs of American communities, particularly in low-income communities. Banks that have CRA obligations are regulated by the federal…

A Compliance Automation Platform (CAP) is an integrated system that replaces manual BEAD reporting with automated workflows. CAPs connect to network management systems, billing platforms, and field operations to generate real-time reporting and tamper-proof audit trails. They reduce administrative…

A means for private companies, nonprofit organizations (NPO), and public entities to raise capital via tax-exempt municipal bonds to fund large-scale projects that typically benefit the general public. Such projects can include hospitals, airports, industrial and housing projects, public…

Conduit Systems and Manholes are underground telecommunications infrastructure providing protected pathways for fiber optic cables and access points for installation, maintenance, and future capacity expansion. Conduit—typically high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or PVC pipe—protects fiber from…

The Connect America Fund was unveiled in 2011 as part of the Universal Service Fund, redesigned to help fund Internet infrastructure in the nation’s high-cost areas. CAF put a new emphasis on Internet service.

The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program is a $268 million NTIA grant program to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) for the purchase of broadband internet access service and eligible…

Connectivity Profile means using empirical data collection sources, such as internet speed and strength tests, to determine broadband availability measured by download speed, upload speed, latency and jitter for an individual home, business, or community anchor institution.  In the aggregate…

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 created the $980 million program to provide grants to expand regular and remote broadband access and adoption by Tribal entities, the $268 million Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, and the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

A website or organization that handles the distribution of online content such as blogs, videos, music or files.

The physical movement of material ensuring supplies reach their destination despite adversary interdiction efforts.

An autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned enterprise. Cooperatives are democratically owned by their members, with each member having one vote in electing the board of directors.

A federally designated rural hospital that receives cost-based Medicare reimbursement to preserve essential health services in areas where standard payment rates would make operations financially nonviable. CAH designation requires meeting specific criteria including location, bed count, and…

Refers to any piece of connected equipment that is used for accessing the Internet or generally accessing services on a provider network, whether directly or indirectly connected to that network. CPE can be provided by the telecommunications provider, such as a cable operator, telephone company or…

Cyber and electromagnetic attacks are hostile actions targeting critical infrastructure through digital network intrusion or directed electromagnetic energy designed to disrupt, degrade, or destroy electronic systems. Cyberattacks exploit software vulnerabilities, network access points, and…

Cybersecurity for Emergency Communications encompasses the protective measures, monitoring systems, authentication protocols, and incident response capabilities that safeguard 9-1-1 infrastructure, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), emergency communications centers, and first responder…

Cybersecurity resilience is the capacity of broadband networks, critical infrastructure systems, and information technology to withstand, adapt to, and rapidly recover from cyberattacks while maintaining essential operations and data integrity. Cybersecurity resilience encompasses defensive…

Data is sent over the Internet as packets. One file is divided into many packets when it is sent, then reassembled into one file again at its destination. Using packets allows data to travel much faster since the individual packets are smaller than the original file and can travel separately over…

The Davis-Bacon Act is a federal law that requires contractors and subcontractors on federally funded or assisted construction projects to pay laborers and mechanics no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area. For the…

The debt-service coverage ratio applies to corporate, government, and personal finance. In the context of corporate finance, the debt-service coverage ratio is a measurement of company's available cash flow to pay current debt obligations. The DSCR shows potential investors whether a company has…

A ratio measuring the amount of income generated and available to pay down debt before covering interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization expenses. Debt/EBITDA measures a company's ability to pay off its incurred debt.

Total number of active and potential subscribers that an ISP’s network could service.

The Digital Canyon is the gap between people who have access to affordable, reliable Internet service (and the skills and gadgets necessary to take advantage of that access) and those who lack it.

The extension of traditional logistics into digital environments, where adversaries actively deny, degrade, or destroy infrastructure to disrupt digital service continuity. Emphasizes simultaneity, threshold ambiguity, and domain convergence.Source: Section II, “Defining Digital Infrastructure…

The condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States.  This definition more expansive than “Digital Inclusion" and "Adoption” and includes training for end-users on…

$2.75 billion will be distributed through the Digital Equity Act Programs to promote digital inclusion and equity to ensure that all individuals and communities have the opportunity to acquire the same skills, technology, and capacity needed to engage in the Nation’s digital economy. These programs…

The integrated foundation of physical and digital systems—such as fiber optic networks, data centers, satellites, and cloud platforms—that enables high-speed broadband connectivity, national communications, and critical digital services. In the context of national security, it forms the backbone…

The military doctrinal shift away from targeting physical platforms to attacking enabling digital systems for asymmetrical advantage.

The national ability to maintain critical digital functions during adversarial disruption.

A group of technologies used to transmit data over telephone lines. DSL made high-speed Internet access possible for ordinary consumers without having to do a great deal of rewiring. “ADSL” stands for asymmetric digital subscriber line, meaning the data travels downstream and upstream at different…

Digital Twin Infrastructure Maps are high-fidelity virtual replicas of physical broadband networks that allow real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, vulnerability assessment, and disaster simulations. Digital twins integrate GIS data, topology, asset details, and live telemetry into unified…

Direct network interconnection, in the context of edge AI deployment, refers to the establishment of physical or virtual connectivity links between a broadband provider's access network and compute infrastructure—such as edge data centers, colocation facilities, or AI inference nodes—that…

A company or project’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization is a measure of a company's profitability of the operating business only, thus before any effects of indebtedness, state-mandated payments, and costs required to maintain its asset base.

An array of benefits designed to promote new business activity or to encourage business or job retention. These benefits principally encompass tax and economic incentives provided by federal, state, or local governmental bodies. Other entities, such as utilities and non-profits, can also make…

Edge Computing Readiness is the capability of infrastructure to support distributed computing resources at the network edge, enabling sub-10ms latency for AI inference, autonomous systems, and real-time applications. Readiness requires robust power, environmental controls, physical security, and…

Electromagnetic pulse resistant enclosures are hardened physical containment systems designed to shield electronic equipment from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects across a broad frequency spectrum. EMP-resistant enclosures use conductive materials, controlled grounding, filtered power and data…

A digital system for storing, managing, and sharing patient clinical information including diagnoses, medications, treatment history, immunizations, allergies, and test results. Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) must meet federal interoperability standards set by the Office of the National…

A Community Anchor Institution that lacks access to gigabit-level broadband service. IIJA, Section 60102.

Under the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, an "eligible entity" is a state, a territory, the District of Columbia, or an eligible Tribal entity. IIJA, Section 60102.

An Emergency Communications Center—commonly known as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)—is a facility responsible for receiving, processing, and dispatching emergency calls and data to first responders. Modern emergency communications centers increasingly rely on IP-based networks, real-time…

A managed, multi-purpose, IP-based network designed to support the transmission of emergency communications — including voice calls, text messages, video, and data — between the public and emergency response agencies, and among emergency response agencies themselves. ESINet is the foundational…

The consolidation of emergency medical services dispatch, coordination, and resource management under a single platform or authority to improve efficiency, reduce response times, and pool resources across fragmented local EMS systems. Oklahoma's RHTP allocates $4.5 million to procure a centralized…

A measure of a company's total value. It is a combination of the value of common stock, preferred stock, cash, and debt. Determining the value of public companies is much easier than private companies which don't make their financials available to the public. You can use the comparable company…

The value that would be returned to a company’s shareholders if all of the assets were liquidated and all of the company's debts were paid off. Equity financing involves selling a stake in your company or project in return for a cash investment. Unlike a loan, equity finance doesn't carry a…

Ethernet cables are wires that physically connect your computer to a router or modem. They can substantially improve the speed and stability of your internet.

Per the Federal Communications Commission: “The Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (Fabric) is a dataset that includes all locations in the United States and Territories where fixed broadband internet access service has been or could be installed.  The Fabric allows broadband data filers…

A dangerous AI failure mode where systems operating on degraded data maintain or increase confidence in their outputs, misleading human operators.

The FCC Registration Number (FRN) is a 10-digit unique identifying number that is assigned to entities doing business with the Federal Communications Commission. The FRN is obtained through the Commission Registration System (CORES).

An analysis that considers all of a project's relevant factors—including economic, technical, legal, and scheduling considerations—to ascertain the likelihood of completing the project successfully.

The [FCC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission) was created by the Communications Act of 1934 and today regulates “interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.”

Federal facilities connectivity requirements refer to the mandates, standards, and eligibility criteria governing the provision of high-speed internet service to federal government-owned or -operated facilities, including military installations, federal agency offices, and government-owned…

A community-based, patient-directed health center that receives enhanced federal funding under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act to serve medically underserved populations. FQHCs must provide care regardless of patients' ability to pay, offer a sliding fee scale, and meet comprehensive…

A fiber optic cable is made up of bundles of hair-thin strands of very pure glass or plastic. Data passes over them in the form of light pulses created by lasers. Because of the purity of the glass or plastic, data can travel much farther and faster on fiber than on copper wires with much less loss…

Using fiber provide all or part of the “last mile” portion of a provider’s network. In fiber to the home (FTTH), the network is made up of fiber all the way from the provider’s core network to the end-user's house or business. (Although fiber to the home—FTTH—is the common term, fiber to the…

The installation and use of optical fiber cable directly to curbs near homes or businesses. Coaxial cable or another medium carries signals the short distance from the curb to the home or business. As such, this system is inexpensive to employ. The basic idea of fiber to curb technology is that…

 Fiber access deployments where fiber extends all the way into the end-user premises and the equipment is designed and optimized for use in residential applications.

Equipment used in fiber access deployments where fibers extend to the network connection point/box/node in a neighborhood and no farther.

The installation and use of optical fiber from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses to provide high-speed internet access.

Under the BEAD program, after the Eligible Entity has selected subgrantees and otherwise executed its approved Initial Proposal, it will submit to NTIA a Final Proposal describing how it complied with that Initial Proposal and the results of its processes. NTIA will award the remaining funds…

A Final Proposal is a comprehensive document that each Eligible Entity (EE) must submit to NTIA by September 4, 2025 . It describes the results of competitive subgrantee selection processes and outlines detailed implementation plans for BEAD fund use within the EE’s jurisdiction. Final Proposals…

A Five-Year Action Plan is a strategic document that each Eligible Entity(EE) must develop and submit to NTIA. It outlines the EE’s full approach to broadband deployment, workforce development, and long-term sustainability. The plan must identify unserved and underserved areas, set deployment…

A Force Majeure Documentation Standard is an NTIA-approved framework that ensures providers are not penalized for service outages caused by uncontrollable natural events. Proper documentation requires timestamped evidence, weather data, emergency declarations, photos, and restoration timelines…

A United States federal grant specifying a precise formula in the legislation creating the program. Formula grants include quantifiable elements, such as population, amount of tax effort, proportion of population unemployed or below poverty level, density of housing, or rate of infant mortality.

Future computing technologies encompass next-generation computational infrastructure spanning exascale supercomputing to edge processing nodes, including novel chip architectures, advanced software systems, and distributed data resources enabling end-to-end AI application workflows. This critical…

A municipal bond backed solely by the credit and taxing power of the issuing jurisdiction rather than the revenue from a given project. General obligation bonds are issued with the belief that a municipality will be able to repay its debt obligation through taxation or revenue from projects…

Geopolitical technology competition, in the US-China context, refers to the systematic rivalry between the United States and the People's Republic of China for dominance in the development, deployment, control, and standardization of critical and emerging technologies—including semiconductors…

Gold Standard Science is a federal policy framework governing the conduct, management, and transparent communication of federally-funded scientific research, emphasizing reproducibility, statistical validation, open data sharing, and alignment of research investments with agency missions and…

The Golden Dome for America initiative is a national security program to develop a multi-layered homeland missile defense system capable of detecting and intercepting ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, and cruise missiles approaching from any direction. Announced via Executive Order 14186 on…

The ability of digital services to reduce performance or scope in a controlled way under attack, preserving essential functionality rather than failing outright.

The percentage an unlevered broadband project pays out per year in EBITDA based on the initial cost of the project but the grant is subtracted from total project cost.

Short-term municipal financing issued in anticipation of receiving a grant from the federal government or one of its agencies.

A short-term note that assures the payment of a federal grant. The federal government can issue a grant to a municipality or state and provide that entity with a GAN that can be used to pay for up-front costs, such as research costs on how to best use grant money. 

Is net sales less the cost of goods sold (COGS). In other words, it's the amount of money a company retains after incurring the direct costs associated with producing the goods it sells and the services it provides. The higher the gross margin, the more capital a company retains, which it can then…

Ground deployment involves laying the cables or lines directly on or underneath the ground. This method typically requires digging trenches or using underground conduits to protect the cables from environmental factors such as weather, traffic, and other potential hazards. Ground deployment is…

A guaranteed loan is backed by a third party, and if the borrower defaults, the third party repays the loan.

A system that enables healthcare providers across different organizations and networks to securely access, share, and use patient health information electronically. HIEs can be regional, statewide, or national in scope. Oklahoma's statewide HIE is administered through OKSHINE (Oklahoma State Health…

A "high-cost area" is an unserved area in which the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration determines that the cost of deploying broadband service is higher than the average cost of deploying broadband service to other unserved areas. The head of NTIA has flexibility…

A care delivery architecture that centralizes complex, specialized services at a main facility (the hub) and connects it to smaller, local clinics (spokes) for basic care and follow-up. The model creates a tiered system for efficient, coordinated, and scalable patient care, leveraging technology…

A non-cash contribution, as opposed to a cash match. It is typically the calculated value of personnel, goods, and services, including direct and indirect costs. The match can include donated goods or services in the form of labor, space, vehicles, training, supplies, equipment and more. It does…

In-Line Amplifier Facilities are telecommunications infrastructure sites positioned along long-haul fiber optic routes that house optical amplifiers boosting degraded light signals to maintain transmission quality over extended distances. These facilities—typically spaced every 60-100 kilometers…

Before the Telecommunications Act of 1996, telephone companies operated as legal monopolies in defined territories of service, called exchanges. After the 1996 act and its emphasis on competition, these carriers became incumbent local exchange carriers in their operating territories. At the same…

The effective long-term lease (temporary ownership) of a portion of the capacity of an international cable. IRUs are specified in terms of a certain number of channels of a given bandwidth. IRU is granted by the company or consortium of companies that built the (usually optical…

“Indian Tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as eligible for the special…

Municipal debt securities issued by a government agency on behalf of a private sector company and intended to build or acquire factories or other heavy equipment and tools.   Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) were formerly called Industrial Development Bonds (IDB). IRBs raise capital to…

Infrastructure Hardening ROI is the measurable return on investments in physical reinforcement, redundancy, and weather-resistant construction. Hardened networks typically achieve 4–6x payback through avoided outages, reduced maintenance, and improved reliability. ROI models compare upfront…

Passed by the Senate on August 10, 2021, by the House of Representatives on November 5, 2021, and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden on November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a landmark bipartisan bill providing $65 billion in funding for…

Under the BEAD program, NTIA will review Initial Proposals and will make available to Eligible Entities not less than 20 percent of the total grant funds allocated to the Eligible Entity.

Under the BEAD program, Eligible Entities will have 180 days from receipt of the Notice of Available Amounts to develop and submit an Initial Proposal, which will, among other things, describe the competitive process the Eligible Entity proposes to use to select subgrantees to construct broadband…

The capacity of disparate health information systems, networks, devices, and organizations to exchange data and coordinate care seamlessly across organizational and geographic boundaries. In the context of rural health infrastructure, interconnectivity encompasses the technical standards (such as…

“Internet Exchange Facility” means physical infrastructure through which internet service providers and content delivery networks exchange internet traffic between their networks.

An Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is a facility where independent networks interconnect and exchange internet traffic through shared switching infrastructure using standard protocols. IXPs reduce routing inefficiencies, lower latency, and improve network resilience by creating direct paths between…

The computer language that allows all the above-mentioned technologies to speak to each other. Before the invention of Internet protocol (IP), telephone networks could only transfer data on other telephone networks, cable networks on other cable networks and so on. IP makes the transfer of data…

An organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. Internet service providers can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise privately owned.

Interoperability refers to the ability of disparate networks, systems, devices, and organizations to seamlessly exchange data and operate together across jurisdictions, technologies, and service providers. In broadband and public infrastructure contexts, interoperability ensures that communications…

An irrevocable standby letter of credit is a financial instrument that guarantees payment to a beneficiary if the applicant fails to fulfill its obligations. In the case of grants under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, the applicant is the subgrantee and the beneficiary…

A space-based chain reaction scenario in which collisions between satellites or space debris generate more debris, exponentially increasing the risk of further collisions. This phenomenon poses a strategic threat to satellite communications and Earth observation systems that underpin broadband…

The last mile is the final leg of the network that connects the local points of presence to individual homes, businesses, or end-user devices. This is often considered the most critical and challenging part of the network due to the varying distances, diverse user needs, and potential obstacles…

The reaction time of your connection - the delay between an end user’s request for data and the delivery of data. How quickly your device gets a response after you've sent out a request. A low latency (fast ping) means a more responsive connection. Latency generally is measured in milliseconds (ms).

Legal expenses encompass the costs incurred for legal services and activities related to the project or organization. These expenses cover legal consultations, contracts drafting and review, regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection, litigation, and any other legal matters that…

An irrevocable standby letter of credit is a letter from a bank that guarantees that the bank will step in on behalf of the buyer to pay the debt in the event of default. In the case of grants under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, the applicant is the subgrantee and the…

Letter of Intent (LOI) is an initial formal document that prospective Eligible Entities must submit to NTIA expressing commitment to participate in the BEAD Program and providing preliminary information about their intended approach to broadband deployment. LOIs establish the foundation for…

Asks the issuing local government to raise property taxes if necessary to meet existing debt service obligations. However, this increase is bound by a statutory limit. With limited-tax general obligation pledges, governments can still use a part of already-levied property taxes, use another…

A type of credit vehicle in which a sum of money is lent to another party in exchange for future repayment of the value or principal amount. In many cases, the lender also adds interest and/or finance charges to the principal value which the borrower must repay in addition to the principal…

The process of grant applicants engaging with and conducting specific outreach to local and tribal communities they intend to serve. Local coordination promotes alignment of priorities between service providers, state and local government leaders, Tribal leaders and community members and helps…

Under the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, each state will submit to NTIA its own definition of a "low-cost broadband service option." Each state's definition shall apply to the award recipients that receive funds from the state in question. "Nothing in this title may be construed to…

Annual low-dose CT (LDCT) screening recommended for adults at high risk for lung cancer, primarily long-term heavy smokers aged 50–80. Oklahoma has one of the lowest lung cancer screening rates in the U.S. at 9%, contributing to a higher-than-average lung cancer mortality rate. The RHTP allocates…

Before an Internet Service Provider (or any company) can add a new attachment or line to a utility pole, the existing attachments may need to be moved around so that the pole can be made ready to handle a new attachment or line. This is known as 'Make Ready Work.' The reason Make Ready Work is…

The portion of the project or program costs that is not covered by the grant funds of the awarding state or federal program/agency.  For federal awards, matching funds may be in the form of either cash or in-kind contributions consistent with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost…

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a broadband grants program directed towards states and territories, requires that subgrantees obtain matching funds for their projects. In general, applicants for funds (the subgrantees), must provider at least 25 percent of the matching…

Matching requirements for infrastructure grants refer to the conditions under which a federal grant program obligates recipients to contribute a specified share of total project costs from non-federal sources—including state appropriations, local government funds, private capital, in-kind…

A joint federal-state health insurance program that provides coverage for low-income individuals and families, including children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. States administer Medicaid within federal guidelines, with the federal government matching state…

The use of FDA-approved medications — primarily buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone — combined with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). MAT is considered the gold standard of OUD treatment by major medical organizations. Oklahoma currently has only 10 opioid…

Any subordinated debt or preferred equity instrument that represents a claim on a company's assets which is senior only to that of the common shares. Mezzanine financings can be structured either as debt or preferred stock. Mezzanine debt bridges the gap between debt and equity financing and is one…

A Micro Data Center is a compact, integrated facility that provides computing, storage, and networking resources in distributed locations. Designed for edge computing, micro data centers place processing close to end users to reduce latency and improve performance for real-time services such as AI…

The middle mile refers to the segment of the network that connects the core network infrastructure (like data centers or central offices) to the local points of presence, often located in neighborhoods or business districts. This part of the network handles the transportation of data between…

Millimeter waves are also known as extremely high frequency (EHF). It’s a radio frequency that would allow transmission frequencies between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, compared to 5 GHz frequencies used by previous mobile devices. It also has wavelengths between 1 mm and 10 mm, compared to the…

The use of advanced materials like cubic boron nitride (cBN) and boron carbide (B₄C) to harden infrastructure against EMPs, heat, and physical impact.

Mobile wireless Internet, accessed via smartphones. Data is transferred between cell phone towers, which are connected to the service provider by fiber.

Mobile Wireless Communications Infrastructure on Educational Facilities encompasses cellular towers, small cells, distributed antenna systems, and related wireless network equipment deployed on school campuses, community college properties, university grounds, and Tribal educational institutions to…

A broadband and communication network architecture that integrates multiple transmission technologies—such as fiber optic, wireless (e.g., 5G), satellite, and microwave systems—to ensure resilient, redundant, and adaptable connectivity. Multi-modal networks are critical in sustaining communications…

The design principle of simultaneously using multiple independent communication paths (e.g., fiber, LEO satellites, microwave) to avoid single points of failure.

Residential duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, apartment buildings, condominiums, mobile home parks, trailer courts, or similar types of multiple dwelling unit arrangements on one parcel of land.

An optional rule in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s model challenge process. States are required to have such a challenge process – a way for consumers and providers to challenge state broadband map data – as part of their BEAD project implementation plans and can…

A debt security issued by a state, municipality, or county to finance its capital expenditures, including the construction of highways, bridges, or schools. They can be thought of as loans that investors make to local governments. Municipal bonds are often exempt from federal…

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce responsible for developing cybersecurity frameworks, technology standards, and measurement science that underpin critical infrastructure protection across American…

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The NTIA resides within the Executive Branch of the federal government, and is the president's principle advisor of telecommunications matters. By contrast, the Federal Communications…

Native Americans, also known as First Americans, Indigenous Americans, American Indians are the Indigenous peoples of the United States, including Hawaii and territories of the United States.

“Native Entity” means (A) an Indian Tribe; (B) an Alaska Native Corporation; (C) a Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in Section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 7517)); (D) the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and (E) the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Network capacity for AI workloads refers to the aggregate bandwidth, latency performance, and computational interconnect capabilities that a telecommunications network must provide to support the data-intensive, time-sensitive requirements of artificial intelligence applications—including model…

Network Hardening is a comprehensive approach to strengthening broadband infrastructure through physical protection, weather resistance, redundant power, and cyber defenses. Examples include burying fiber instead of aerial placement, using concrete vaults instead of plastic pedestals, and equipping…

A connection point in a communications network. Each node is an endpoint for data transmissions or redistribution. Nodes have either a programmed or engineered capability to recognize, process and forward transmissions to other network nodes.

Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) is an IP-based emergency communications framework that replaces legacy circuit-switched 9-1-1 systems with secure, broadband-enabled networks capable of transmitting voice, text, images, video, and real-time data between the public and emergency response agencies…

An electric cooperative, nonprofit organization, public-private partnership, public or private utility, public utility district, Tribal entity, or local government (including any unit, subdivision, authority, or consortium of local governments) that provides or will provide broadband services.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) describe the requirements under which a federal agency will award grants for funding as instructed by a specific law. In this case, it's the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58, November 15th. 2021.The Infrastructure, Investment, and…

A measure of a company's operating profit as a percentage of its revenue. Knowing the EBITDA margin allows for a comparison of one company's real performance to others in its industry. EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing EBITDA by revenue.

The device that serves as your ISPs endpoint of the passive optical network (PON). The OLT also provides the interface between a PON and your ISP’s core network. Simply put, an OLT is ISP equipment.The OLT is the device that exists at your ISPs central hub.An OLT has a few purposes:Control the…

The device that serves as the telecommunication chain’s endpoint of the PON on your end. Another abbreviation to know is an ONU, which stands for Optical Network Unit. ONU and ONT are often used interchangeably. More or less, they are the same. Simply put, an ONT/ONU refer to the user side…

In civilian telecommunications, outside plant refers to all of the physical cabling and supporting infrastructure (such as conduit, cabinets, tower or poles), and any associated hardware (such as repeaters) located between a demarcation point in a switching facility and a demarcation point in…

Overbuilding is the deployment of new fiber optic broadband infrastructure in areas where existing fiber networks already provide service, creating duplicative physical plant that may reduce the economic efficiency of public infrastructure investment. In the BEAD Program context, overbuilding…

Occurs when a packet of data being sent over the internet is not received or is incomplete. This is described in percentage of packets lost compared to packets sent. Packet loss in most cases is a result of poor signal/line quality.

Agreements that govern moving one entity’s data traffic over another entity’s network. With peering agreements, network owners allow each others’ traffic to move over their networks at no cost or in some kind of cost-sharing arrangement. With transit agreements, the entity that wants to move the…

Performance bonds are now acceptable in lieu of Letter of Credit for BEAD grant requirements. A performance bond, often used in the construction industry and in large contracts, is a surety bond issued by an insurance company or a bank to guarantee satisfactory completion of a project by…

Performance Test & Survey (PT&S) is a BEAD-required framework for validating broadband speeds and service quality using automated tests, statistical sampling, and crowdsourced verification. PT&S requires distributed test servers, synchronized windows, and tamper-proof data tied to specific network…

Direct kinetic or electromagnetic assaults on digital infrastructure components like fiber networks, satellites, or data centers to create systemic disruption.Source: Section III, “Kinetic Threats” and “Electromagnetic and Particle-Based Threats”3. Aliases:

A Point to Point Connection is a private data connection securely connecting two or more locations for private data services. A point to point connection is a closed network data transport service which does not traverse the public Internet and is inherently secure with no data encryption needed…

Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is the next generation of encryption algorithms designed to secure critical infrastructure, broadband networks, and sensitive data against attacks from both classical computers and future quantum computers. Current widely-deployed encryption methods—including RSA and…

A type of shareholder class. When a company files for bankruptcy, equity and debt holders are paid in a specific order that is dependent on the type of financing they are holding (also called the capital stack): 1. Bondholders (debt) 2. Preferred equity 3. Common stock

Preparedness and Resilience is the capacity of critical infrastructure systems to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats, natural disasters, and physical attacks while maintaining essential operations. Preparedness encompasses the planning, training, and hardening…

A federal initiative to measure and improve physical fitness among school-age children. Oklahoma's RHTP allocates $1.1 million to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test as a statewide benchmark, provide rural schools with equipment, and develop a cardio- and walking-focused fitness application…

Under the BEAD, “Priority Broadband Project” means a project that will provision broadband service via end-to-end fiber-optic facilities to each end-user premises.

A bond issued by or on behalf of a state or municipality to provide special financial benefits for qualified projects. A local or state government will issue the bond, which proceeds will go to the private project with public benefit. The financed project contributes to repayment of those bonds…

A nationally recognized integrated care model for dual-eligible seniors — individuals enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid — that provides comprehensive, team-based medical, social, and long-term care services with the goal of enabling participants to remain in their homes and communities rather…

Project finance is the funding (financing) of long-term infrastructure using a non-recourse or limited recourse financial structure. The debt and equity used to finance the project are paid back from the cash flow generated by the project.

A nonprofit membership organization composed of and owned by rural hospitals and providers that pools administrative, clinical, and technology resources. The model maintains local control while giving members access to group purchasing, shared services, telemedicine infrastructure, and governance…

A Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is a facility equipped and staffed to receive 9-1-1 emergency calls from the public, determine the appropriate emergency response, and dispatch police, fire, emergency medical services, or other first responders to the incident location. PSAPs serve as the…

An organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to…

Long-term contractual agreements in which a public governmental unit engages a private entity to deliver an integrated solution for the design, construction, financing, operation and/or management of new or existing government-owned infrastructure projects.   

The Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The ReConnect Loan and Grant Program furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide…

The consistency and predictability at which broadband service is provided. 

Under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment grant program (BEAD), “reliable broadband service” is define as broadband service that the FCC's Broadband DATA Maps show is accessible to a location via: (i) fiber-optic technology; (ii) Cable Modem/ Hybrid fiber-coaxial technology; (iii) digital…

Remaining Amounts are the funds left from a state's BEAD allocation upon NTIA approval of its Final Proposal—dollars allocated by Congress for broadband infrastructure that are not required for deployment projects serving unserved and underserved locations. The SUCCESS for BEAD Act creates clear…

The use of digital technologies to collect medical data from patients in one location and transmit it electronically to healthcare providers in another location for assessment and recommendations. Common RPM applications include blood pressure cuffs, continuous glucose monitors, pulse oximeters…

Under the BEAD program, a state, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico may request up to $5,000,000 in Initial Planning Funds. American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands may request up to $1,250,000. Each Eligible Entity’s Initial Planning…

A security-forward design approach for national broadband and communication systems, emphasizing continuity, adaptability, and recovery in the face of cyber threats, physical attacks, natural disasters, or systemic failures. Resilient infrastructure includes diversified routing, secure data…

Resilient network architecture refers to the design philosophy and engineering practice of building telecommunications systems that can withstand, absorb, adapt to, and rapidly recover from disruptive events—including natural disasters, cyberattacks, physical infrastructure failures, and supply…

A category of municipal bond supported by the revenue from a specific project, such as a toll bridge, highway, or local stadium. Revenue bonds that finance income-producing projects are thus secured by a specified revenue source. Typically, revenue bonds can be issued by any government agency…

A type of financing that allows a borrower to maintain an open credit line up to a specified limit and make minimum monthly payments based on the balance and interest rate per the credit agreement. A revolving credit line typically comes with a variable interest rate set by a bank, meaning it can…

A Route Server is shared BGP infrastructure deployed at Internet Exchange Points that simplifies multilateral peering by allowing participating networks to establish a single BGP session with the server rather than maintaining separate bilateral sessions with every other IXP participant. Route…

The RDOF is the latest iteration of the FCC’s universal service fund (USF), more recently referred to as the Connect America Fund (CAF). This program was developed decades ago to fund the construction and operation of telecommunications networks, and later, broadband networks. The goal of the…

Electric cooperatives play a vital role in transforming communities. They are energy providers that act as engines of economic development in rural areas, responsible for 42% of U.S. electric distribution lines. These local energy and technology providers are shaped by the specific needs of the…

A $50 billion federal grant program authorized by H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) to reimagine healthcare delivery in rural America over five years (FY 2026–2030). Administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the program awarded all 50 states within 150 days of the…

A graduate medical education training program in which physicians complete specialty training (residency) in a rural healthcare setting. Research shows that training in a rural residency increases the likelihood that a physician will choose to practice in a rural area by nearly three times compared…

A division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utility Service grew out of the Depression-era Rural Electrification Administration. Its mission is to help provide public utilities—water and sewer, electrification, and telecommunications—to rural areas through public-private partnerships…

Internet service provided via satellite. Satellite can be the only option for remote residents, but it is generally considered slow, less reliable, and more expensive than other options if and when they are available.

Have you ever lived in an apartment building? Each apartment has a different family, couple, or individual living in it. They have different internet needs and budgets. They sometimes have different providers and different plans with the same provider. The front office probably has a strong…

Debt that is backed by property, like a car or a house. Should you default on the repayment of the loan or debt, the creditor can take the collateral instead of opening a debt collection on your record or suing you for payments.

A certificate or other financial instrument that has monetary value and can be traded. Securities are generally classified as either equity securities, such as stocks and debt securities, such as bonds and debentures.

Borrowed money that a company must repay first if it goes out of business.

A resilience design model that assumes partial system failure and focuses on preserving minimum viable operations through distributed, redundant systems.

An agreement between an investor and a company that provides rights to the investor for future equity in the company similar to a warrant, except without determining a specific price per share at the time of the initial investment.

Space Dominance and Exploration Infrastructure is R&D investment in space contributing to "both civilian and defense mission needs" with priorities including "ambitious targets that unlock new mission capabilities, enable discoveries, and achieve exploration goals" such as "building capacity for…

Special Award Conditions (SACs) are requirements or restrictions added to a federal award by NTIA or an Eligible Entity (EE) when a subgrantee fails to meet a milestone, violates program terms, or shows performance deficiencies. SACs function as corrective measures and remain in effect until the…

Pace at which data can pass through a network connection, generally measured by Megabits per second (Mbps) or Gigabits per second (Gbps). 

A test measuring the rate at which data can be uploaded and downloaded by a device. Most also measure latency, the time it takes for a device to communicate with the server it is sending data to or receiving data from. Speed tests are available from many organizations and use varying…

“State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories and possessions.

A formal request submitted by a state to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to modify the state's Medicaid program — adding services, changing eligibility, or altering payment structures. SPAs require CMS approval and must comply with federal Medicaid law. Oklahoma is pursuing a…

A large-scale electromagnetic pulse generated by a nuclear detonation or specialized device at high altitudes—typically 30 to 400 kilometers above Earth’s surface. These EMPs are capable of affecting vast geographic regions, potentially disabling national power grids, satellite systems, long-haul…

Strategic telecommunications infrastructure refers to network assets whose control, integrity, and availability are deemed essential to national security, economic competitiveness, and governmental continuity—assets whose compromise, capture, or degradation by a foreign adversary would constitute a…

Process of selecting a person, entity or organization to carry out or implement a component of a grant award.  Under the BEAD program, an Eligible Entity may initiate its competitive subgrantee selection process upon approval of its Initial Proposal and will have up to one year to conduct…

An entity that receives grant funds from an Eligible Entity to carry out eligible activities. Under the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, the government or other legal entity to which a subgrant is awarded and which is accountable to the grantee for the use of the funds provided. 

A carrier-neutral submarine cable landing station is a coastal facility where undersea fiber optic cables connect to terrestrial broadband networks and are made available to multiple carriers and network operators on nondiscriminatory terms. These facilities serve as critical gateways for…

An unsecured loan or bond that ranks below other, more senior loans or securities with respect to claims on assets or earnings. In the case of borrower default, creditors who own subordinated debt will not be paid out until after senior bondholders are paid in full.

Subsidiarity is a principle of social organization that holds that social and political issues should be dealt with at the most immediate (or local) level that is consistent with their resolution. 

A medical condition characterized by an uncontrolled pattern of substance use — including alcohol, opioids, stimulants, or other drugs — that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress. SUD treatment encompasses detoxification, medication-assisted treatment, behavioral therapies, and…

The SUCCESS for BEAD Act is proposed federal legislation designed to enhance and extend the impact of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program by authorizing greater flexibility in the use of remaining BEAD funds after states meet core universal broadband deployment requirements…

Supply chain weaknesses are critical infrastructure vulnerabilities arising from dependence on foreign-sourced components, single-supplier concentration, or inadequate cybersecurity vetting of hardware and software throughout the technology procurement lifecycle. These supply chain risks create…

When the upload and download speeds match. A rate of 10 Mbps down/10 Mbps up would be symmetric.

A localized electromagnetic pulse weapon designed for battlefield or urban use, typically deployed via portable or low-yield devices. These close-range EMPs are intended to disable electronics and communication systems within a limited radius—such as a building, vehicle fleet, or specific segment…

The percentage of potential subscribers who are offered the service that actually do subscribe. Within the context of information infrastructure investment, take rate has become a byword for network viability and success, making it a key economic driver of the investment.

An investment in which the income produced is free from federal, state, and/or local taxes. Most tax-exempt securities come in the form of municipal bonds, which represent obligations of a state, territory or municipality. For some investors, U.S. Savings Bond interest may also be free from federal…

A debt security whose return to the investor is subject to taxes at the local, state, or federal level, or some combination thereof. An investor trying to decide whether to invest in a taxable bond or tax-exempt bond should consider what they will have left in income after taxes are taken.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the first significant overhaul of United States telecommunications law in more than sixty years, amending the Communications Act of 1934. The Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, represented a major change in American telecommunication law, since it was the…

Telecommunications backbone hardening refers to the deliberate engineering, reinforcement, and redundancy-building applied to the high-capacity transmission infrastructure—including long-haul fiber optic cables, submarine cables, core routing nodes, and internet exchange points—that carries…

The delivery of healthcare services remotely using telecommunications technology, including synchronous video visits, asynchronous store-and-forward consultations, remote patient monitoring, and digital care coordination. Telehealth encompasses both clinical services (diagnosis, treatment…

A private, ADA-accessible, technology-equipped enclosure located in a public setting — such as a library, community center, or rural clinic — that allows community members to conduct telehealth video visits, access behavioral health services, and connect with remote providers without needing…

Published January 26th, 2024 2024 is the year of BEAD. The Good. The BEAD. The Ugly. Don't miss the Showdown. August 2024.

A metaphor for digital infrastructure comprising Transmission, Processing, and Storage, emphasizing that compromise of any leg leads to system failure.Source: Section III, “Digital Infrastructure Vulnerabilities”

A resilience strategy requiring independent failure modes, real-time traffic orchestration, and continuous active operation across multiple communication methods.

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is a $980 million program directed to tribal governments to be used for broadband deployment on tribal lands, as well as for telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion. NTIA is continuing to review the more than 280…

Tribal Data Sovereignty is the principal that Tribal Nations have the inherent right to control their own data. It gives Tribal Nations the power to decide how their data is collected and used, as well as who should have access to it. Data sovereignty is a way for Tribes to reclaim control of their…

“Tribal government” means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation, individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published by the Secretary of the Interior most recently…

“Tribal Land” means (A) any land located within the boundaries of (i) an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria; or (ii) a former reservation within Oklahoma; (B) any land not located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria, the title to which is held— (i) in trust by…

“Trust Land” means any land that (A) is held in trust by the United States for Native Americans; (B) is subject to restrictions on alienation imposed by the United States on Indian lands (including native Hawaiian homelands); (C) is owned by a Regional Corporation or Village Corporation, as such…

Healthcare services provided to patients who are unable to pay and have no insurance or whose insurance does not fully cover the cost of care. Uncompensated care includes both charity care (provided with no expectation of payment) and bad debt (billed but unpaid). It represents a major financial…

Under the BEAD, “Underserved Location” is defined as a broadband-serviceable location that is (a) not an unserved location, and (b) that the Broadband DATA Maps show as lacking access to Reliable Broadband Service offered with (i) a speed of not less than 100 Mbps for downloads; and (ii) a speed of…

According to the BEAD Program, a project in which not less than 80% of broadband-serviceable locations served by the project are unserved locations or underserved locations.

A central principle of the Communications Act of 1934 was that all Americans should have access to a basic level of telecommunications service—universal service—and many policies were enacted to carryout that goal. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 created the Universal Service Fund, a pool of…

The implied rate of return a company expects to earn without the effect of debt.

Is similar to the limited-tax pledge. The only difference is that the local government is asked to increase property tax rates to necessary levels — up to a maximum of 100% — to cover delinquencies from taxpayers. Residents must first agree to increase property taxes to the necessary amounts…

Debt that is not backed by an asset pledged as collateral.

A broadband-serviceable location that the FCC's Broadband DATA Maps show as (a) having no access to broadband service, or (b) lacking access to Reliable Broadband Service offered with (i) a speed of not less than 25 Mbps for downloads; and (ii) a speed of not less than 3 Mbps for uploads; and (iii)…

According to the BEAD Program, a project in which not less than 80% of broadband-serviceable locations served by the project are unserved locations.

The direction of the data between the end user and the service provider. Something moving “upstream” or “uploading” is moving from the end user’s computer or device to the service provider, while data moving “downstream” or “downloading” is moving from the service provider to the end user. When…

The Utility Stakeholder System brings together stakeholders involved with associated with delivering utility services into homes and businesses.Utitlity stakeholders include:Utility operators, such as broadband providers and energy providersUtility regulators, such as Public Utility Commissions…

A healthcare payment and delivery model that ties provider reimbursement to patient health outcomes and quality of care rather than volume of services delivered. VBC arrangements include shared savings programs, bundled payments, capitation, and accountable care organizations (ACOs). The RHTP's…

Wholesale business models in telecommunications refer to commercial arrangements in which a network infrastructure owner or operator sells access to network capacity—including fiber strands, conduit space, wavelengths, dark fiber, or managed bandwidth services—to retail service providers, other…

Wholesale fiber refers to fiber optic infrastructure made available to multiple entities on a non-retail basis, either as lit fiber , where the network operator provides active electronics and managed bandwidth services, or dark fiber , where lessees deploy and control their own electronics over…

A technology that produces a wireless local area network allowing a computer or other device to connect to the Internet wirelessly. Equipment in the device communicates with the Wi-Fi router, which is connected to the network with some type of physical cable or wire. Depending on the system’s…

A Wi-Fi router is a device that allows you to connect to the internet without using a wired connection. The closer you are located to the device, the more stable your connection may be.

A short name for fixed wireless (as opposed to mobile wireless). Fixed wireless technology transmits data between two fixed antennas using radio waves, including microwaves. Unlike Wi-Fi, the radio beams are often kept narrow to keep up the strength of the signal. Antennas are preferably set up…

Workforce Development for Critical Infrastructure encompasses training programs, apprenticeships, certification pathways, and educational facilities that build the skilled workforce required to deploy, operate, maintain, and secure broadband networks, telecommunications systems, power grids, and…

A federally designated geographic location, population group, or facility with an inadequate supply of healthcare professionals relative to the population's needs, as determined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are designated for…

The difference between a company’s current assets—such as cash, accounts receivable/customers’ unpaid bills, and inventories of raw materials and finished goods—and its current liabilities, such as accounts payable and debts. A measure of a company’s liquidity and short-term financial health.

The percentage an unlevered broadband project pays out per year in EBITDA based on the initial cost of the project. This metric is useful to compare the potential return to investors across multiple geographic regions when all project assumptions are held constant.