As part of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the State of Hawaiʻi will be conducting the Hawaiʻi BEAD Challenge Process later this summer. The Challenge Process is a component of the $149.5 million award to the State of Hawaiʻi under the BEAD Program that will fund Internet infrastructure buildout to locations that have no access (unserved) or have substandard access (underserved) to the Internet.
The Challenge Process is an opportunity for Hawaiʻi to correct information about locations that are unserved and underserved across the state. Participants must submit evidence through a map-based web portal to correct information about locations without a high-speed internet connection. Information from the Hawaiʻi BEAD Challenge Process will help direct infrastructure buildout to locations that require upgrades that are unserved or underserved.
Register now to Participate
Who can be an “Eligible Entity” to file Challenges?
- Nonprofits, including IRS nonprofit organizations and Native Hawaiian Homestead & Beneficiary Associations registered with the U.S. Department of the Interior
- Units of local government
- Internet service providers
- *note: Information about how individuals may contribute information to help an Eligible Entity submit Challenges is forthcoming.
In addition to contact information, registrants will need to provide the following:
- IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Organization registration with the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs or some other documentation to validate the organization’s identity
- FCC Registration Number (FRN) – Internet Service Providers only
How will it work?
Hawaii’s BEAD Challenge Process will tentatively begin in late Summer 2024 and contains three phases:
How can I prepare?
Review our past training webinars
A 2-part Zoom webinar was held on May 2 & May 9, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM, covering more details on the upcoming Challenge Process. The webinar recording and slides can be found here.
The University of Hawaiʻi is developing a training schedule for eligible participants in the next few months and will provide more details soon. For more detailed information about how Hawaii plans to deploy its funds, please read Hawaiʻi’s Initial Proposal Volume 1.
An overview of the Challenge Process was held on Monday, February 12, 2024. The webinar recording and slides can be found here.
Subscribe to our UH Broadband newsletter to stay informed.
Resources
Challenge Process One-Pager Flyer
Challenge Process Invitation Flyer
Challenge Types & Evidence Requirements
FAQs
I have junk internet, will this Challenge Process help me get better Internet?
If you can only subscribe to the Internet through satellite or digital subscriber line (DSL), then yes! Otherwise, contact broadband@hawaii.edu to help troubleshoot your Internet situation.
I am a nonprofit, a unit of local government, or an ISP interested in participating in the Challenge Process; how do I get involved?
Mahalo for your interest! Please email broadband@hawaii.edu, and we will connect you to the right people to get involved.
I am a member of the public; how can I get involved?
Mahalo for your interest! Members of the public cannot directly submit challenges during the Challenge Process and will need to work with an eligible participant to submit a challenge on their behalf. Contact broadband@hawaii.edu to learn more.
What is the difference between this Challenge Process and what the FCC is doing?
The FCC Broadband Data Collection is an ongoing initiative by the FCC to create the most accurate map of Internet access in the nation. Individuals can submit “challenges” or corrections to the FCC’s National Broadband Map on items like missing Internet locations, address information, or Internet service provider information. The FCC uses this data for various purposes. The Hawaiʻi Challenge Process is a 90-day period focused on identifying Community Anchor Institutions and locations without high-speed Internet infrastructure to build out Internet infrastructure to these locations eventually.