Broadband Breakfast Announces ‘Speeding BEAD Summit’ on June 12, 2025
A one-day conference on expediting BEAD in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2025 - Broadband Breakfast announced the Speeding BEAD Summit, a one-day conference focused on expediting the modifications to, and implementation of, the BEAD program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The event will take place on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Clyde's of Gallery Place in Washington, D.C., beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Three and a half years after the establishment of the $42.5 billion BEAD program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, stakeholders will gather to address the challenges that have slowed deployment.
Despite allocation of funds to all state broadband offices, only three states - Louisiana, Nevada, and Delaware - have finalized their awards and await federal approval to begin construction.
Other states, including West Virginia and Maine, are currently revising their proposals in coordination with the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. And on April 22, NTIA issued a 90-day extension or pause on the program.
The Speeding BEAD Summit will gather those on the front lines - state broadband directors, government officials, lawmakers, financial institutions, vendors and civil-society groups – to chart a way forward for the BEAD program.
Agenda Highlights:
- High-Cost Thresholds & the Future of Fiber: The BEAD program originally allowed states to set their own high-cost thresholds when deciding whether to fund deployment through fiber, wireless, or satellite. Reports that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick might seek to deploy a federally-required high-cost cap might redirect funds towards “lower cost” solutions, particularly low-Earth orbit satellites, have raised questions. What are the pros and cons of a federal cap?
- Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD: The design of the BEAD program under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gave states considerable leeway to design and implement broadband builds. Will the Trump administration change this state-led approach? Many federal and state lawmakers are warning against changes to BEAD. But many broadband providers say they would welcome relief from some onerous rules surrounding BEAD deployment.
- The New Need: AI Skills Training: By whatever name, successful broadband deployment efforts require digital adoption and digital training. The rapidly accelerating role of artificial intelligence has, in fact, created a new need for AI Skills Training. Might efforts at digital inclusion and workforce skills training now include AI skills training?
Registration information
Early Bird registration is available until May 16, 2025, at the discounted rate of $175 per attendee.
Venue Information
The Speeding BEAD Summit will be held at Clyde's of Gallery Place, located at 707 7th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.
To secure your spot and learn more, visit https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sbs
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or press passes, please contact Marketing Director Quinn Nghiem at quinn@breakfast.media
The Speeding BEAD Summit
Join us in Washington on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., for a one-day conference, the Speeding BEAD Summit.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of November 2021 established the $42.5 billion BEAD program. State broadband offices have all been allocated funds. Three states (Louisiana, Nevada and Delaware) have finalized their awards, and are waiting for approval from the federal government to begin building. Others, including West Virginia and Maine, are revamping their proposals in dialogue with the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. And on April 22, NTIA issued a 90-day extension or pause on the program.
Meanwhile, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., in early March introduced the Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment for BEAD (or SPEED for BEAD) Act. During its introduction, Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, said: “Think what was just said: Three years of effort and not one inch of fiber has been built. Our people are clamoring in our area for local broadband to have access to the Internet and broadband.”
Broadband Breakfast’s Speeding BEAD Summit will bring the key stakeholders together to consider the central issues around BEAD.
Panel 1: High-Cost Thresholds and the Future of Fiber in BEAD
The BEAD program originally allowed states to set their own high-cost thresholds when deciding whether to fund deployment through fiber, wireless, or satellite. Reports that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick might seek to deploy a federally-required high-cost cap might redirect funds towards “lower cost” solutions, particularly low-Earth orbit satellites, have raised questions. What are the pros and cons of a federal cap?
Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD
The design of the BEAD program under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gave states considerable leeway to design and implement broadband builds. Will the Trump administration change this state-led approach? Many federal and state lawmakers are warning against changes to BEAD. But many broadband providers say they would welcome relief from some onerous rules surrounding BEAD deployment.
Panel 3: The New Need: AI Skills Training
By whatever name, successful broadband deployment efforts require digital adoption and digital training. The rapidly accelerating role of artificial intelligence has, in fact, created a new need for AI Skills Training. Might efforts at digital inclusion and workforce skills training now include AI skills training?
Additional panels may be added to the program
The Speeding BEAD Summit will take place at Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
