Editor’s Note: Liberty VI sent the following statement in response to a story, Virgin Islands Secures $27 Million to Boost Digital Equity Initiatives Across the USVI, published by the Source last Friday.
Liberty VI would like to clarify some statements made in the “Virgin Islands Secures $27 Million to Boost Digital Equity Initiatives Across the USVI” published on August 23, 2024.
There are no inherent corporate hurdles to overcome to improve digital equity in USVI. Further, the USVI is in a unique and privileged position as it has two important sources of federal funding to improve digital equity and internet expansion in the territory. We are one step ahead of all other states.
In November 2020, the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau announced funding through the Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 that would bring 1 gigabit per second fixed high-speed internet to 100% of locations in the USVI. After a competitive process, the winning applicant, Broadband VI, was allocated $84.5 million dollars, to be distributed in monthly installments over the course of ten years. The process weighed price, network performance, latency, usage allowance, speed, resiliency and redundancy. The program has a series of milestones of percentage of homes to be deployed reaching 100% of locations by 2027.
This process allowed the USVI to get a head start on building high speed internet to 100% of locations.
In addition to this, the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program was approved by the Bipartisan Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021. This program provides federal funding for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to grant to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the USVI for “broadband planning, deployment, mapping, equity, and adoption initiatives.” The funding is based on the relative number of unserved locations, meaning locations that lack access to reliable broadband service of at least 25Mbps downstream and 3Mbps upstream.
Now, according to the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the BEAD Program, when identifying an unserved or underserved project, the Eligible Entity (chosen by the Territory) may not treat as unserved or underserved a location that is already subject to an enforceable federal commitment. Since the USVI already has money allocated for deployment which covers 100% of locations, BEAD money can be used for other purposes, this is a positive outcome for the USVI.
Now, the USVI not only has funds to build high-speed internet to all locations, but will also have access to an additional $27 million for complementary non-deployment activities such as:
- Direct subsidies for use toward broadband subscription, where the Eligible Entity shows the subsidies will improve affordability for the end user population.
- Broadband sign-up assistance and programs that provide technology support.
- Multi-lingual outreach to support adoption and digital literacy.
- Digital navigators.
- Costs associated with stakeholder engagement, including travel, capacity-building, or contract support.
- User training with respect to cybersecurity, privacy, and other digital safety matters.
- Remote learning or telehealth services/facilities.
- Digital literacy/upskilling (from beginner-level to advanced).
- Computer science, coding and cybersecurity education programs.
- Implementation of Eligible Entity digital equity plans
The BEAD Process required the Eligible Entity, in this case to the Office of Management and Budget of the government USVI, to file an Initial Proposal, which was submitted and approved.
To receive all funds, the Eligible Entity shall submit a Final Proposal no later than 12 months after the date upon which the Initial Proposal was approved.
We do not see the Connect USVI funds as a hurdle to the BEAD funds, but rather a step ahead to all other states. BEAD funds, when received, will serve as a very positive complement to ensure the elimination of the digital divide in the USVI – Liberty VI plans to be in the forefront of that process.
