Nevada Broadband Head Predicts BEAD Shovels in the Ground This Summer

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2025 – Nevada’s broadband director said the state was planning on projects funded by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program getting underway this summer, despite an ongoing review from the Trump administration.

“We’re going through a process of working with our selected providers, and we’re getting ready to sign contracts,” said Brian Mitchell, director of the state’s broadband office. “We have providers that are ready to put shovels in the ground and get folks connected starting this summer.”

The state, which was allocated $416 million from the $42.5 billion broadband grant program, got approval on its spending plan under the Biden administration.

Nevada, along with the two other states with such approval, hasn’t been able to access those funds. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is serving as a grants manager for the program, is still reviewing the states’ proposals. 

“NIST isn’t necessarily reviewing ‘Is 83 percent fiber the right number, or should it be lower or higher?’” Mitchell said. “They’re doing a numbers check” and reviewing the states’ budgets. He spoke at a Fiber Broadband Association webinar.

Nevada did indeed select fiber projects reaching 83 percent of its BEAD-eligible locations. The remaining homes and businesses would be roughly evenly split between fixed wireless and satellite.

The Trump administration has been critical of BEAD, in large part because it preferences fiber infrastructure, which provides the highest speeds available but can be more expensive than other technologies. The Commerce Department is currently reviewing the program with an aim to make it more technologically neutral, but hasn’t issued specific guidance. 

It’s not clear how significantly the administration would put its thumb on the scale in opposition to fiber. Arielle Roth, Trump’s pick to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Commerce agency overseeing BEAD, deflected when asked at her confirmation hearing whether states would have to redo any completed work. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced her nomination Wednesday.

West Virginia, which was supposed to submit its spending plan this month, was given an extra 90 days to rework the document in line with the Trump administration’s priorities. In all, more than 40 states have begun the process of fielding grant applications under the current rules.

“Our providers are ready to deploy,” he said. “As soon as we get the right paperwork from NIST, I think we’ll start to see both groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings happen starting this summer, and also into the fall.”