The State of New Hampshire, Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) would like to inform you of their broadband effort as it relates to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. BEA is coordinating efforts to apply for their federal BEAD allocation of $196,560,278.97.

BEA’s work will consist of developing multiple documents for NTIA to review and approve the funding allocation. Two of the required NTIA documents will be an Initial Proposal Volume 1, and an Initial Proposal Volume 2. BEA’s goal for use of this funding will be to deploy broadband infrastructure to 100% of addresses in the state that currently lack broadband speeds.

NTIA and BEA’s work will be to develop opportunities to close the digital divide for all residents and businesses in the State. We will incorporate physical infrastructure to cover existing gaps in broadband availability as well as digital equity programs to help educate and assist with a better understanding of how to use the internet, how to access the internet, affordability of internet services and associated services for every social economic population in our state.

In order to develop the mentioned documents, we request your help in providing feedback to us as it relates to broadband services and your direct connection to the populations you serve. Specifically, our work is to reach all locations in New Hampshire who have no internet access and poor or inadequate internet. We want these documents to represent all social economic populations and use their input as the documents are being crafted.

There will be a variety of listening sessions held throughout the State in conjunction with New Hampshire Digital Equity Center https://www.nhdigitalequity.org/ where participants can provide feedback and comments.

Each of the documents being developed will be posted for public comment on the BEA website https://www.nheconomy.com/office-of-broadband-initiatives/iija/bead

Please provide your comments.  Feedback and comments can be e-mailed to broadband@livefree.nh.gov.

Thank you for your participation as we all look forward to helping close the digital divide for all of New Hampshire.