BEAD

More Ideas for Use of BEAD Non-deployment Funding

NTIA has been taking input on how to allow states to spend the roughly $21 billion in remaining program funds.

Jake Neenan

Mar 4, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 by Markus Schreiber/AP

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2026 – Stakeholders still have a lot of ideas on how the Commerce Department should spend roughly $21 billion in broadband funding that won’t be used on network deployment.

T-Mobile and CCA pushed for more wireless infrastructure, INCOMPAS and the Western Governors’ Association agreed on supporting AI infrastructure and workforce development, while groups including the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation pushed for measures addressing broadband affordability and adoption.

Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration held listening sessions last month on how it should allow states to use their leftover allocations under the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Parties have continued submitting written comments on the issue.

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BEAD nondeployment T-Mobile CCA INCOMPAS Western Governors’ Association NDIA OTI Jessica Dine Howard Lutnick Brooke Donilon Evan Swarztrauber Ajit Pai Ellis Scherer Arielle Roth FBA