HB 18-1099

House Bill 18-1099, known as the Broadband Deployment Level Playing Field, aims to ensure fair competition for broadband deployment in unserved areas of Colorado. It establishes a grant program and requires existing telecommunications providers (incumbents) to have the first chance to implement broadband projects if another provider applies for funding in their service area. If an incumbent decides to take on the project, they must offer speeds and costs that are at least as good as those proposed by the original applicant. This bill has been signed into law, meaning it is now official state policy and will guide how broadband expansion occurs in underserved regions of Colorado.

Official Summary

The broadband deployment board in the department of regulatory agencies (board) implements and administers a grant program regarding the deployment of broadband service in unserved areas of the state. Upon a telecommunications provider's application for funding of a proposed project to provide access to a broadband network in an unserved area of the state, the board must allow an incumbent telecommunications provider in the unserved area the right of first refusal with regard to implementing a broadband deployment project for the unserved area. The board is required to develop criteria regarding an incumbent telecommunications provider's exercise of its right to develop a broadband project in an unserved area upon another telecommunications provider having submitted to the board a proposed project for the unserved area. The bill requires that the board's criteria include requirements that an incumbent telecommunications provider exercising its right to implement a broadband deployment project for the unserved area agree to provide demonstrated downstream and upstream speeds equal to or faster than the speeds indicated in the applicant's proposed project and at a cost per household that is equal to or less than the cost per household indicated in the applicant's proposed project. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

Votes