BEAD Challenge Process

UPDATE 11/19/24: Please see the new guidance on capturing Hurricane Helene data and attestation letter template for permanent loss of broadband availability for internet service providers.

UPDATE 11/1/24: The BEAD Challenge Process portal and Consumer Input website will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2025. This extension has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). 

Once challenge data is collected, internet service providers will have an opportunity to make any rebuttals Jan. 21 – Feb. 20, 2025. The division will complete the BEAD program’s final determination phase Feb. 21 – March 22, 2025, and will share the data with the NTIA to finalize the locations that will be eligible for the BEAD program. 
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Local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits, and broadband service providers
Local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits, and broadband service providers are the permissible challengers allowed by the NTIA's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program rules. 

ACCESS THE BEAD CHALLENGE PROCESS PORTAL

Additional Materials for Permissible Challenging Organizations


Individual consumers
Individuals may submit data via the Consumer Input website to eligible challenging organizations that can submit challenges on their behalf. You can also see the challenge map on this site without being registered as a permissible challenger. 

 
 

Download Locations

The below files posted on Aug. 30 show the pre-Challenge Process classifications of unserved, underserved, served or community anchor institution (CAI) North Carolina Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs) by Federal Communications Commission Location ID. These lists account for deduplication and pre-challenge modifications.

*Please note: These CSV files may have record counts exceeding the viewable limits in Microsoft Excel and/or other applications.

  • Download unserved locations (These BSLs reportedly have at least one of the following: No access to broadband service; Speeds of less than 25/3 Mbps; and/or Latency greater than 100 milliseconds.)
  • Download underserved locations (Please note that some locations are considered underserved based on BEAD pre-challenge modifications (i.e., DSL modification and cellular fixed wireless modification, as described in North Carolina’s BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1), regardless of what speeds were reported for these technology types in the Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Collection. Unserved and underserved locations are also not subject to any known, qualifying enforceable commitments for deployment of broadband service.)
  • Download served locations (These BSLs reportedly have access to reliable broadband service greater than or equal to 100/20 Mbps and latency less than or equal to 100 milliseconds or have an enforceable commitment for the deployment of service that meets those standards.)
  • Download CAI locations (This file includes the list of community anchor institution (CAI) locations.)

Need Assistance?

Please send questions related to technical assistance issues to nchelpdesk@ready.net. 
Questions related to policy items should be sent to bead@nc.gov.
 

Webinars

Register for the Dec. 17, 4-5 p.m. BEAD Challenge Webinar

Register for the Jan. 6, 2-3 p.m. BEAD Challenge Webinar

Watch the Sept. 25 Office Hours Recording

Watch the Oct. 1 Office Hours Recording

View the BEAD Challenge Process webinar below from Aug. 20 and download the slides.