Alaska Broadband Office Approves $629 Million in BEAD Awards
The state released project-level funding details as it moves toward final federal approval.
WASHINGTON, March 24, 2026 – Alaska has approved more than $629 million in broadband deployment awards under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, advancing efforts to expand internet access across some of the nation’s most remote communities.
The Alaska Broadband Office said the state’s final proposal, approved Feb. 25 by National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Arielle Roth, included funding for dozens of projects aimed at serving more than 46,000 broadband serviceable locations.
Major awards include funding for providers such as Alaska Communications Systems Holdings, GCI Communications, and Matanuska Telecom Association, as well as smaller cooperatives and regional providers serving rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The awards also revealed wide disparities in per-location costs, raising questions about how Alaska’s terrestrial spending compared with lower-cost satellite options.
According to the state’s data, some projects exceed $40,000 per location. Alaska Connects is set to receive $18.9 million to serve 379 locations, about $49,800 per location, while GCI Communications will receive $115.4 million for 2,328 locations, or roughly $49,585 per location. Alaska Communications is slated to receive $69.6 million to connect 1,630 locations, or about $42,709 per location.
By contrast, satellite deployments have been funded at significantly lower costs. SpaceX, through its Starlink service, received $23.6 million to serve more than 15,000 locations, about $1,534 per location.
The awards spanned a mix of technologies and providers, reflecting the state’s effort to address connectivity challenges across Alaska’s vast and geographically complex terrain.
An interactive map of the approved awards is available on the Alaska Broadband Office website.
The program will next be reviewed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which will develop a grant agreement before issuing final approval to the state.
Member discussion