Oct. 30 — Deadline to submit comments regarding the BDO's Strategic Plan Blueprint
Monthly Roundtable
Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. — BDO Texas Broadband Community Roundtable (Teams)
Letter from Comptroller Don Huffines
Don Huffines
Texas Comptroller
Having recently entered this office, I want to express my appreciation for the trust placed in our team and for the many Texans who continue to support our statewide broadband efforts.
Our office remains committed to responsible governance and the efficient use of public funds as we work to expand broadband access across Texas. The BDO has published a draft Strategic Plan Blueprint (PDF) outlining the long range vision for prioritizing residents with the greatest need and ensuring fiscally responsible investment.
Over the past months, we have strengthened our focus on connecting unserved and underserved communities, supported by internal restructuring designed to improve accountability and deliver measurable results. Recent leadership appointments reflect this renewed direction and the expertise needed to guide the agency forward. Please help me in welcoming the new BDO leadership.
Blessings,
Don Huffines
Texas Comptroller
Meet the New BDO Leadership
Ernest Teves
Broadband Director
The BDO welcomes Ernest Teves as director. Teves has held technology and leadership positions in both the public and private sectors, with experience in state and local government, healthcare, financial services, and large enterprise technology organizations. Most recently, Teves served as director of the Project Management Office for Travis County, where he provided executive leadership for strategic technology and enterprise initiatives and helped oversee a diverse portfolio of public-sector programs. Throughout his career, Teves has focused on using technology, sound governance, and effective project management to improve organizational performance and deliver results. Teves is a proud fifth-generation Texan.
Mike Hunsucker
Broadband Assistant Director
The BDO also welcomes Mike Hunsucker as assistant director. Hunsucker brings more than 40 years of experience in the technology, telecommunications, and broadband industries. In his most recent position, he played an integral role in developing broadband public-private partnerships in rural areas of Texas. Throughout his career, Hunsucker has built strong working relationships at the state, county, and local levels to advance broadband access and connectivity.
Hunsucker and his wife, Jeanene, live in Leander and have two sons.
BDO Requests Feedback on Strategic Plan Blueprint
The draft Strategic Plan Blueprint is on the BDO’s website. Public comments are invited through Oct. 30 and may be submitted to broadband@cpa.texas.gov with “Strategic Plan Feedback” in the subject line. The final plan will be delivered to the Texas Legislature in December.
Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program
The Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program continues to advance broadband expansion in rural and unserved communities across the state. Funded with $75 million, the program reimburses eligible pole owners and broadband providers for qualified replacement costs. To date, two funding rounds have distributed $28.3 million, leaving approximately $51 million available for future awards.
The BDO hosted a stakeholder listening session Oct. 5 to gather input for shaping an effective and responsive third round of funding. The office expects to publish the next Notice of Funding Availability in November and will share program details and updates on the Comptroller's website.
BEAD Program Progress and Special Process Updates
The BDO continues advancing its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) initiatives. Through its Special Process, the office has addressed project locations left unserved due to awardees who did not sign grant agreements. Eight subgrantees have now been selected to serve more than 27,000 locations and community anchor institutions, resulting in $1.3 billion in BEAD funding and $187 million in Texas Match Assistance Funding.
Additionally, the office has accomplished the following:
Received federal National Environmental Policy Act approval for two projects
Completed 47 disbursement requests totaling $77 million
Started working with subgrantees to update awarded locations using new Federal Communications Commission data by removing over 11,000 locations no longer listed in the data
A Post Award Change package was submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in September, and the office is awaiting approval before making any necessary amendments to subgrantee agreements.
In September, NTIA released a Supplemental Deployment Policy Notice (PDF) to address newly identified unserved locations statewide. The notice establishes a streamlined challenge process and outlines steps states must follow to update eligibility lists and conduct a second bidding round under BEAD. The BDO is preparing for the next steps while it awaits the list of locations eligible for the next Benefit of the Bargain round.
BOOT Program Updates
Several Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) projects have reached operational status and are completing final grant closeout steps. Under BOOT I, projects in Hall, Jefferson, Sutton, and Tom Green counties are fully complete, with the remaining projects due by Dec. 31. BOOT II projects are also progressing, with multiple projects in Newton, Trinity, Falls, and Morris counties already operational. All 15 federal extension requests have been approved, extending deadlines to June 30, 2027.
Across both rounds of the BOOT Program, projects continue to expand broadband availability, with thousands of planned and completed connections and more than $193 million in expenditures to date.
TRBP Contacts List Published
The contact list of specialists for the Texas Regional Broadband Program (TRBP) is now posted to the Texas Association of Regional Councils’ website. Broadband specialists provide guidance, share resources, and support local efforts to expand connectivity across Texas. Internet service providers, local governments, community organizations, nonprofits, and residents are encouraged to contact their local broadband specialist with questions.
