BEAD State Directors Recognize Progress But Still Have Issues

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2025 – With billions of dollars in broadband funding close to going into motion, state leaders say the first wave of BEAD applications showed progress but uncertainty remains about how non-deployment dollars will ultimately be used.

At a TechExpo25 panel in Washington on Monday, officials pointed to competitive bidding and refined eligibility lists as reasons for the reduced demand. But the question of what happens to the unused funds remained unanswered.

Georgia broadband director Jessica Simmons said her state expects to spend about $310 million of its $1.3 billion allocation on deployment projects. She attributed the drop to providers offering more competitive bids, with per-location costs serving as a key evaluation factor.

Kentucky broadband director Meghan Sandfoss said her state’s program may use only one-third of its $1.1 billion budget, and it is still unclear where the remainder will go. She also called the 90-day review timeline “aggressive,” though she noted NTIA intended to stay open during the federal government shutdown but possible delays that could be caused by the shutdown remain unclear.

Minnesota broadband director Bree Maki said the state faces unique challenges because no providers bid on about 20,000 of its hardest-to-serve locations. She added that meeting deadlines is complicated by the ongoing need to coordinate with internet providers and local partners.