ARPA recognized the need for improved broadband infrastructure and faster speeds, especially to underserved households and businesses. The Department of the Treasury's Final Rule specifies that eligible projects must be “designed to deliver upon completion, service that reliably meets or exceeds symmetrical upload and download speeds of 100 Mbps." Communities are encouraged to invest in areas with less than 100 Mbps download speeds, but are able to invest in locations where broadband needs are identified.
Due to federal reporting requirements, the state will require applications to include the following:
- Speeds/pricing tiers to be offered, including the speed/pricing of its affordability offering
- Technology to be deployed
- Miles of fiber
- Cost per mile
- Cost per passing
- Number of households (broken out by households on Tribal lands and those not on Tribal lands) projected to have increased access to broadband meeting the minimum speed standards in areas that previously lacked access to service of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload
- Number of households with access to minimum speed standard of reliable 100 Mbps symmetrical upload and download
- Number of households with access to minimum speed standard of reliable 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload
- Number of institutions and businesses (broken out by institutions on Tribal lands and those not on Tribal lands) projected to have increased access to broadband meeting the minimum speed standards in areas that previously lacked access to service of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, in each of the following categories: business, small business, elementary school, secondary school, higher education institution, library, healthcare facility, and public safety organization
- Specify the number of each type of institution with access to the minimum speed standard of reliable 100 Mbps symmetrical upload and download; and
- Specify the number of each type of institution with access to the minimum speed standard of reliable 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload
In addition, recipients must require the service provider for a broadband project that provides service to households to either:
- Participate in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
- Provide access to a broad-based affordability program to low-income consumers that provides benefits commensurate to ACP
Finally, the Final Rule allows the SLFRF to be used for modernization of cybersecurity for existing and new broadband infrastructure, regardless of their speed delivery standards. This includes modernization of hardware and software.
Broadband Infrastructure projects will be treated as advancements to the applicant and will require the grantee to report on a quarterly basis the status of the project, including expenditures.
