BEAD Program Impact Assessment for California

This document is a technical report detailing the BEAD Program impact assessment for broadband funding in California. It outlines the number of unserved and underserved locations eligible for BEAD funding, which is estimated to be 357.9K, with 232.2K lacking access to broadband at 100/20 Mbps and 125.7K at 25/3 Mbps as of June 2024. The report presents the total capital available for deployment, which is estimated at $2.9 billion, including $1.9 billion in BEAD funding and a $1.1 billion provider match. It discusses various deployment scenarios, including baseline and maximum fiber deployment strategies, and their implications for reaching eligible locations. The report also highlights the need for California to decide on the extent of fiber deployment while balancing funding for other BEAD eligible programs. Key findings indicate that maximizing fiber coverage could exhaust funds without leaving additional resources for affordability programs.