The Fiber Broadband Association and NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association have unveiled a guide to help states make the best use of an historic infusion of federal funds. NTCA and FBA partnered to publish the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook, developed with the assistance of telecom consulting firm Cartesian.

"We are on the precipice of once-in-a-generation funding and we need to help make the most of this broadband moment," NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said in a Feb. 28 news release.

Congress passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Jobs Act in November. The bipartisan deal includes $65 billion aimed at making reliable high-speed internet available across more of the country. Many rural areas, in particular, lack such high-speed access. The playbook mainly focuses on the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, for which $42.5 billion is targeted.

The playbook aims to be "a valuable resource to the states and territories by outlining key parts of the IIJA, sharing best practices from state broadband programs that have worked well in the past, and seeking to promote consistency and the best possible results," Bloomfield said.

FBA represents service providers, manufacturers, industry experts and deployment specialists. NTCA represents independent, community-based telecommunications companies.

FBA, NTCA and Cartesian will host a webinar at noon on March 4 called, "Introducing the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook."