The Office of Broadband is preparing to launch the BEAD Challenge Process in January of 2024. Challengers eligible to participate in this process include units of local government, nonprofit organizations, and internet service providers (ISPs).

To successfully participate in the Challenge Process eligible entities are required to obtain a license to the FCC Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric from CostQuest. Two licenses are made available for potential challengers:

• Tier D – Made available for ISPs; and
• Tier E – Made available for units of local government and nonprofit organizations.