Hagåtña, Guam – A critical step toward improving high-speed, affordable internet access across the island is beginning very soon, and your involvement is crucial. The Office of Infrastructure Policy and Development (OIPD) encourages Guam residents, community organizations, and internet carriers to begin preparing for the upcoming Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Challenge Process.
“Participation is key to ensuring that every part of Guam receives the internet service improvements it deserves,” said Acting Governor Josh Tenorio. “Residents and local organizations can help verify and correct service data by contributing to this process. It is a powerful opportunity to make sure no neighborhood or institution is left behind as we build Guam’s digital future.”
The Challenge Process allows the community to help verify internet service levels and ensure that all areas with unmet needs are identified and addressed. Local participation will directly influence where BEAD funding is prioritized, ensuring that unserved and underserved locations are correctly identified and resources are allocated where they are most needed.
Residents can view the preliminary map of internet service to see the status of their location today at https://tinyurl.com/GuamPrelimChallenge to see if they should start preparing to challenge the service information.
Active involvement from the public, nonprofits, and internet carriers in the challenge process will strengthen the accuracy of service maps and ensure that every community, especially those with the greatest need, benefits from improved connectivity. Local insights are essential to capturing the true state of internet service across the island.
The map is based on data submitted to the FCC by the Guam internet providers. Still, there is a lag between when the data is provided and actual broadband service availability. It represents a snapshot in time and should not be relied upon for broadband deployment decisions without input during the challenge process to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, the broadband map has other deficiencies caused by differences in actual Guam residences and mapping done remotely by the FCC. The challenge process will help align the map with actual conditions.
Informational material is available on broadband.guam.gov and across OIPD social media at fb.com/OIPD1, with more resources to come. These materials include explainer posts, an introductory video, FAQs, and an interactive map. More detailed guides to help residents participate in the Challenge Process will be added in the weeks to come. The public will be informed as the launch of the Challenge Process approaches.
Challenge Process Overview
The BEAD Challenge Process enables government entities, nonprofits, and carriers to verify the eligibility of specific locations for funding based on their current internet service levels. Private citizens will be able to submit their challenges through designated nonprofit organizations.
The process is divided into three phases: Challenge, Rebuttal, and Adjudication. Eligible entities can submit evidence-based challenges in Phase One and provide rebuttals in Phase Two. In Phase Three, OIPD will finalize each location’s service status.
The outcome will guide where BEAD deployment is prioritized. Unserved locations receive top priority, followed by underserved areas and designated Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs). According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under the BEAD program, a CAI is defined as an entity such as a school, library, health clinic, hospital, public safety entity, institution of higher education, or any other community support organization or facility that provides essential services to the public.
Stay tuned for more information, including timelines and detailed guidance on participating in the Challenge Process. Updates will be available on broadband.guam.gov as outreach efforts continue.
For further information, contact broadband@guam.gov.
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