NTIA Approves Updated BEAD Initial Proposals From All 56 States and Territories
The ‘Benefit of the Bargain’ round is underway in 48 states and territories
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2025 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced Monday that it had approved revised Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment initial proposals from all 56 states and territories.
With the NTIA approval, every state was now able to conduct a “Benefit of the Bargain” round that will determine which internet-service providers will receive funds. States have until September 4, 2025, to submit a final proposal that includes the results of at least one “Benefit of the Bargain” round.
The NTIA also released a dashboard showing each state and territory’s BEAD progress. According to that dashboard, 48 states and territories have started the “Benefit of the Bargain” round.
State leaders have been working to submit their revised BEAD initial proposals since the NTIA announced changes to the program on June 6. Those changes came after the NTIA had put a pause on the program, garnering months of speculation over BEAD’s future.
Trump administration changes to the program include the requirement that states not prioritize one broadband technology over another, and redo bidding rounds for providers seeking funds to provide broadband.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick promised lawmakers in June that BEAD money would be out the door by the end of the year. Though some have welcomed the changes to the program, many have raised concerns that its technology neutral approach may allow satellite companies like Starlink to win a large number of locations at the expense of fiber providers.
NTIA’s announcement comes as the Senate was poised to confirm Arielle Roth as the NTIA's next administrator.
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