High Cost Area

A "high-cost area" is an unserved area in which the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration determines that the cost of deploying broadband service is higher than the average cost of deploying broadband service to other unserved areas. The head of NTIA has flexibility in making the determination, also considering:

• the remote location of the area
• the population density of the area
• the unique topography of the area
• a high rate of poverty
• any other factor that contributes to the cost of deploying broadband service

IIJA, Section 60102.