NTIA Chief Credited Program Overhaul for $21 Billion in BEAD Savings

Roth said greater provider participation and a technology-neutral approach drove the $21 billion in savings.

Akul Saxena

Mar 18, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of Drew Clark, left, CEO of Broadband Breakfast, and Arielle Roth, Administrator of NTIA, speaking at Broadband Breakfast's BEAD Implementation Summit in Washington on March 18, 2026, by Eric Urbach/Broadband Breakfast

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2026 — Half of the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program remained unallocated, and the nation's top BEAD program official said Wednesday she expects guidance on how states can spend the $21 billion in remaining funds "as soon as possible."

Arielle Roth, Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the executive branch agency for communications and broadband policy, said it has completed a public listening process and is finalizing the guidance.

"We need to be good stewards of this money," Roth said.

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BEAD Implementation Summit BEAD 2026 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act NTIA Drew Clark Arielle Roth National Telecommunications and Information Adminstration Commerce Department Starlink Mobile SpaceX John Windhausen Telepolicy permitting reform AI Executive Order Ted Cruz Categorical Exclusions Bureau of Indian Affairs Forest Service