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Community Broadband Networks outlines BEAD/AHP plans for Tompkins County; 521 homes identified as unserved/underserved
Summary
Community Broadband Networks told the council it is pre-awarded BEAD funding to serve 521 unserved/underserved homes in Tompkins County and described an AHP retrofit program for affordable housing; CBN said contracts must be finalized before work begins and gave an approximate $2 million local funding figure including match.
Representatives from Community Broadband Networks (CBN) briefed the Tompkins County Council of Governments on regional broadband plans tied to federal and state programs, including BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) and the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program (AHP).
CBN said it has been pre-awarded BEAD funding for Tompkins County and 38 other counties but cannot begin deployment until contracts are finalized. The presenter reported 521 homes in Tompkins County have been identified as unserved or underserved under the BEAD mapping and that BEAD projects carry a four-year deployment window from contract start. "We were awarded to provide service for those 521 homes as part of the BEAD program," the presenter said.
CBN also described AHP work in the Ithaca metro area that will retrofit about 150 buildings (approximately 645 apartments) and deliver low-cost connectivity options for residents in qualifying multi-dwelling units, with subsidized packages as low as $10 to $20 per month depending on program rules.
The company discussed fixed wireless technology that pairs CBRS and 6 GHz spectrum with modern beamforming to deliver high speeds in many non-line-of-sight scenarios, and explained that tower siting and propagation studies determine which homes are serviceable and what speeds they will receive. The presenter emphasized that pre-award status means CBN will begin work only after contracts are executed and program rules are finalized.
On funding, CBN described a combination of state and federal programs and local matches. The presenter cited roughly $800,000 of direct grant funds in pre-award for the county region and said total near-term flows including match and other program awards could reach about $2 million that can be used for municipal infrastructure and community anchor projects in the county. A council member corrected an earlier phrasing that implied the county government itself had received the funds; participants clarified the money is allocated to projects and providers serving county residents rather than to county government as a single recipient.
CBN outlined outreach plans (tabling, mailers, door-hangers, local sales staff and partnerships with municipalities) and said it will coordinate with town leaders to identify community anchor institutions and other grant-eligible partners. The presenter encouraged municipalities to flag anchor institutions and local needs while contracts and program rules are finalized.
Council members asked about timelines and reliability in hilly terrain; CBN said modern fixed wireless performs substantially better than earlier iterations and that propagation modeling will determine feasibility for specific neighborhoods. The presenter said if contracts are not complete the projected start could be late this year or early next year. "We're pre-awarded; until we get into contract, we're not going to start work," the presenter said.
The council requested follow-up information on coverage maps, program rules and local anchor sites when contract details are available.
