Kansas Wraps Up Major Broadband Program, Eyes BEAD Construction in 2026

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2025 — Kansas residents value broadband so highly that the state received more than 700 percent in oversubscription requests for its latest infrastructure grants, a top official said Wednesday.

Speaking during a Fiber Broadband Association webcast, Joseph Le, deputy director of broadband development at the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the state has completed its $50 million Capital Projects Fund program - initiated in 2021 - connecting more than 25,000 locations with symmetrical 100 Megabit per second (Mbps) service.

The state now oversees six broadband initiatives totaling more than $450 million in federal and state grants, including middle-mile, workforce, and digital-opportunity programs. 

Le highlighted Kansas’s first internet exchange point in Wichita, funded through the state’s $30 million Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity (LINC) program, which also supports local fiber and digital-inclusion projects.

Le said Kansas’s $42 million Middle-Mile grant will connect Kansas City to the state’s southwest region, reducing costs and latency while encouraging private investment. 

Workforce readiness, he warned, could become the biggest challenge as 56 states and territories launch BEAD construction simultaneously. “We’re concerned about shortages,” he said, adding that Kansas hopes to direct any unused BEAD funds toward training and job creation.

By 2026, Le said, Kansas aims to begin full BEAD construction, complete its digital-inclusion programs, and continue its state-funded Broadband Acceleration Grant series, now in its fifth round. He said the state is focused on continuing progress and ensuring every community has access to reliable broadband.