Community Anchor Institutions: BEAD Challenge Process

Overview

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is leading a statewide broadband and digital equity planning process, including grant programs as part of the national Internet for All effort. MBI is working to achieve 100% universal internet service in Massachusetts. 

As part of the $147 million Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, MBI is required to facilitate a public Challenge Process.

Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) are defined as a school, library, health clinic, 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, including low-income individuals, unemployed individuals, children, the incarcerated and aged individuals. 

CAIs may be eligible for BEAD funding if they do not currently have qualifying broadband service available at their location. Qualifying broadband service for a CAI is not less than 1 Gbps/1 Gbps speed an latency less than or equal to 100 milliseconds.

Participate

  1. Verify that your location is correctly identified as a CAI on the Massachusetts Broadband Map & Challenge Portal. The full list of CAIs included on the Massachusetts broadband map is located here.
  2. Collect evidence and work with an eligible challenger to submit a C, R, G or Q challenge. If your local government is not registered as an eligible challenger, CAIs can work through Connected Nation, MBI's Challenge Process Support Partner, to submit challenges. They can be reached by email at mabeadsupport@connectednation.org.
  3. If your location is not a Broadband Serviceable Location (BSL) or CAI on the Massachusetts broadband map you can email mapfeedback@masstech.org with evidence that your location is in fact a CAI. 

Rebuttal Phase 

CAIs will be able to rebut CAI location challenges in the Open Rebuttal Dashboard during the Rebuttal Phase from July 26 - August 25. More information about the rebuttal workflow will be released soon.

Resources

Additional resources can be found on the Challenge Process main webpage.

Any questions should be directed to mapfeedback@masstech.org.