NTIA Approves Initial BEAD Proposals for Four More States

WASHINGTON, Sep 26, 2024 - Four states - Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and South Carolina - won approval Thursday for their broadband deployment plans from the agency in charge of handing out more than $40 billion in subsidies to connect every American to fast and affordable Internet service.

The state of Georgia was the only one of the four set to receive more than $1 billion. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration noted that the state would receive over $1.3 billion in subsidies. The other states, Iowa, Minnesota and South Carolina, were slated to receive over $415 million, $651 million, and $551 million respectively.

The Biden Administration’s $42.45 billion BEAD program was designed to extend broadband access to unserved and underserved locations in 56 eligible entities, including five territories, Washington, D.C., and all 50 states.

NTIA’s Thursday approval meant that the states of Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and South Carolina would be able to access over $2.9 billion in combined support for broadband expansion efforts in each state.

"Today, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Carolina can move their Internet for All efforts from planning to action," said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson in a statement.

Davidson noted that the broadband offices of the four states developed strong proposals for connecting all of their residents to high-speed service.

"Since day one, my administration has prioritized bringing opportunity to all parts of our state, including those areas often overlooked," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said. “[Georgia’s approval] builds on the significant progress we have made in recent years to close the digital divide.”