The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that 50 final BEAD proposals have been approved, leaving six eligible entities awaiting final sign-off from federal officials.
According to the NTIA’s release, the six remaining proposals cover the District of Columbia, Alaska, California, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Washington.
NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth attributed the progress to revised BEAD guidance introduced as part of the Benefit of the Bargain reforms. She said the reforms spurred higher participation, increased competition and private-sector matching contributions, and helped drive down project costs while advancing consumer-friendly solutions.
Roth cautioned that while the administration has cited a near $21 billion saving on BEAD’s $42.45 billion funding pool, she did not clarify how those savings translate into taxpayer savings, noting that the money remains Congress’s appropriation for broadband spending.
She added that NTIA is working diligently with states and territories to finalize the remaining six proposals so the country can move toward universal connectivity “once and for all.”
