The Authorities Accountability Workplace (GAO) launched a report this week assessing federal broadband applications and releasing particular suggestions for the NTIA and FCC.
The report was carried out as mandated by a statute included in Home Report 118-124 requiring GAO to “assessment the efficacy of current federal broadband applications.” As such, GAO mentioned it examined “chosen companies’ progress in deploying broadband, their approaches to focusing on underserved areas, and NTIA’s efforts to encourage sustainability in its BEAD program, amongst different issues.”
The GAO centered its consideration on 4 federal companies (NTIA, FCC, Treasury and USDA) accountable for administering 9 applications, together with BEAD, all of which started distributing funding as of February 2026. (See the chart under for the particular applications GAO assessed, excluding USDA applications “as a result of anticipated completion dates differ by funding spherical,” in keeping with the report.)
GAO suggestions for FCC
The report’s suggestions primarily fell into two primary buckets, with one centered on the FCC’s nationwide broadband map – which dictates the place broadband entry does and doesn’t exist within the nation – and particularly the problem course of concerned in addressing map inaccuracies.
“Some program members and stakeholders mentioned this problem course of was burdensome and unclear. For instance, difficult numerous places in an space could possibly be troublesome for smaller communities and suppliers with restricted assets,” GAO wrote in its report. “With out focused outreach to smaller communities and suppliers to handle such difficulties, FCC could not be capable of get hold of essentially the most correct details about broadband availability and subsequently could not be capable of successfully determine and goal funding to underserved areas.”
The report additionally highlighted considerations round service suppliers defaulting on their federal broadband awards and the way these defaults may end up in sure areas remaining underserved. “Companies have taken some steps to handle these potential service gaps. Nonetheless, considerations stay that some unserved areas affected by defaults will stay unserved,” GAO pressured.
The report acknowledged the advanced communication wanted amongst companies and stakeholders to maintain federal broadband information updated as a way to not impede progress amongst applications.
“Specifically, the accuracy and timeliness of undertaking location information shared by the companies and reported by FCC in its maps should be repeatedly maintained as applications provide new funding alternatives to proceed to fill the underserved areas in these maps. The accuracy of FCC’s maps relies upon, partly, on stakeholders’ skill to submit challenges to inaccuracies within the maps’ underlying information. Nonetheless, this examine will not be efficient if stakeholders with vital data select to not take part resulting from hurdles in submitting such challenges,” wrote GAO.
As such, GAO mentioned that the “Chair of FCC ought to conduct focused outreach to smaller members (comparable to native and tribal governments and suppliers), to determine and handle difficulties they’ve skilled finishing the majority Broadband Information Assortment problem course of.”
GAO recs for NTIA
The GAO’s report additionally honed in on the $42.5 billion BEAD program. The NTIA not too long ago introduced it issued approval for ultimate BEAD proposals for all 56 states and territories, with Illinois coming in final, and with roughly $21 billion going towards deployment. The company is anticipated to launch steering on how states can use $21 billion in “non-deployment funding” earlier than the top of summer season (tick, tock, by the way in which).
When it comes to BEAD, the GAO centered its considerations and proposals on guaranteeing the monetary stability of suppliers deploying networks in high-cost areas.
“In October 2025, NTIA introduced a requirement that BEAD suppliers certify that they won’t settle for federal funding from different sources for broadband deployment and operations prices for places funded by BEAD for not less than 10 years. This provision is meant to make sure that BEAD initiatives are financially self-sustainable with out further federal funding. NTIA’s BEAD documentation for states and territories states that there could also be a foundation for them to request sure information from suppliers. Nonetheless, NTIA didn’t element the circumstances that would warrant such a request,” wrote GAO.
Thus, GAO’s considerations are that the states could not have entry to the data essential to grow to be conscious if a supplier’s community is in danger.
“As one of many largest of the broadband applications we reviewed, BEAD holds nice potential to assist shut the digital divide. However BEAD additionally faces dangers if this system doesn’t take further steps to help its dedication to monetary sustainability. Specifically, NTIA dangers that some initiatives could falter sooner or later earlier than the state might probably flag considerations and work with suppliers to forestall a potential service lapse for shoppers utilizing a BEAD-funded community,” wrote GAO.
In flip, the report recommended that the NTIA administrator “ought to present data to NTIA’s accomplice states and territories on when and why to request further data from BEAD subrecipients, to observe and help their skill to stay financially sustainable in providing inexpensive broadband in the course of the 10-year federal curiosity interval.”
In line with the report, each the FCC and NTIA have “agreed with these suggestions,” and the GAO will monitor progress on the standing of these open suggestions right here.
