Ohio's top broadband official has plans to use most of the state's $500 million in federal broadband funds to provide all Ohioans with high-speed internet access. For now, though, BroadbandOhio Chief Peter Voderberg said the anticipated left over Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funds effectively remain in flux.
Voderberg said during a conference hosted by the Ohio Broadband and Technology Association — as of Tuesday, the new name for the former Ohio Telecom Association — that between $480 million and $500 million of the state's $783 million share has yet to be used.
Why does that remaining sum exist? "The issue we have right now is that the [National Telecommunications and Information Administration] has not issued non-deployment guidance," he said on Tuesday. "They have not told us what to do."
The state's work at connecting the roughly 60,000 homes without internet access carries on as officials seek clarity on how to use those non-deployment dollars. Those are the dollars remaining after states have fully funded infrastructure deployment to unserved and underserved locations.
Voderberg said the office has 16 subgrantee agreements, six of which have been signed, that will ensure another 50,000 homes will obtain internet. More than 300,000 homes lacked access to the internet at the beginning of the DeWine Administration. He hopes the 10 pending subgrantee agreements will be signed by the end of the month, which would allow broadband providers to construct needed technology infrastructure.
Voderberg additionally highlighted several potential ways the state could spend the non-deployment dollars, including the creation of a "get it done fund" to cover any unforeseen expenses such as pole replacements and additional permitting fees.
He also suggested using the funds to provide technology such as magnetometers or infrared sensors that can better locate underground lines and to restart a workforce development program.
"I will say it's very funny to me that the NTIA, who will not give me the money to restart the program, continues to walk around the country and when people say what their workforce plan should look like, they say, 'Ohio,'" Voderberg said. "And then I get a call and they're like, 'What does your workforce program look like?' And I say, 'It doesn't look like anything because they didn't give me any money.'
"So we very much want to restart our workforce development program so that everyone has an opportunity to have the workforce they need." Lawmakers included deployment of the state's $793 million share of BEAD funds in the biennial budget (HB 96 ) before the NTIA approved the state's final proposal in December.
All 56 state and territorial BEAD final proposals have been approved as of Aug. 25, according to NTIA. Still, broadband officials in other states have expressed frustration with the relatively slow deployment of the $42.5 billion in BEAD funds.
Voderberg has served as chief of BroadbandOhio since its inception in 2020 following a stint as an assistant policy director for the governor's office.
Asked if he plans to continue his work once a new governor is elected, Voderberg said that decision is up to the next administration. "If it is not me, we'll still make sure that all of you have the resources you need to be successful in the BEAD program," he told attendees.