The Race is On: Exploring BEAD 2.0 Broadband Delivery
On this episode of PL Radio, Phillips Lytle Special Counsel Barlow Keener is joined by Marc Powell, Managing Director of Alvarez and Marsal, for a discussion on Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) implementation in the U.S. Barlow has over two decades of experience in digital infrastructure, transactional and regulatory work. Barlow and Marc delve into how the $21 billion in BEAD funds will be allocated and into some key components of the upcoming BEAD implementation for municipalities and providers. Their discussion covers the challenges that fiber to the home (FTTH) and fixed wireless access (FWA) providers may face, compliance issues and the other factors that lie ahead. The episode explores the challenges of BEAD compliance, financing and deployment while addressing other key issues that relate to the NTIA and oversight from State Broadband Offices. Marc lends his unique expertise and point of view to this conversation about BEAD funding and deployment in the U.S. Marc specializes in infrastructure planning, financing, procurement and deployment of large projects in the public sector. His experience includes work on helping FTTH and FWA broadband providers plan and deploy their networks, and manage inventory, maintain financial sustainability with the receipt of BEAD funds, state and federal compliance, and construction scheduling. Marc has worked for broadband projects including the Texas Broadband Office HB5 and ARPA CPF program development, the Arizona Broadband Office (ACA) BEAD and DEA plan; procurement, the Missouri ARPA-CPF grant execution approach, the Mississippi ARPA-CPF and BEAD plan, the Puerto Rico State Funded broadband grant plan, the Montana Broadband office compliance and reporting plan, South Carolina broadband office, the Pennsylvania IIJA funding opportunity assessment, and Infrastructure Ontario Canada broadband office. In addition to broadband, Marc’s infrastructure projects include the Dulles Greenway, the Pochahontas Parkway, the Port of Los Angeles, Eurostar, and Heathrow Airport. Barlow’s expertise encompasses data centers, fiber networks, cell towers, wireless spectrum, and satellite matters. He boasts deep industry knowledge and has served as general counsel for a media company, in-house counsel for a telecommunications provider, and co-founder of an internet service provider startup.
