Stung − Beehive Broadband Takes Big Hit in Nevada’s New BEAD Plan
Would anyone be surprised to see West Virginia’s plan − developed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) and supported by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) – win approval on Sept. 5?
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Nevada: Beehive Broadband is no longer the poster boy for outrageous BEAD program spending under the Biden administration. Nevada has released its revised BEAD final proposal for review by the Trump NTIA. The state plans to spend $169.7 million to connect 27,122 locations. Beehive received $3.4 million to serve 154 locations at $22,540 per location. That’s still a lot on an absolute and relative basis but way down compared to Nevada’s original $416 million BEAD proposal approved by the Biden-Harris administration but later rescinded by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Broadband Breakfast
In the first plan, Beehive was awarded about $22 million to serve 286 locations at a per-location cost of $77,000. Nevada’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) under Director Brian Mitchell said the new plan “provisionally awarded 18 different providers who will use fiber optic, hybrid-fiber-coax, licensed fixed wireless, and satellite technologies to deliver high speed broadband and ensure no community is left behind.” The state expects 64% of locations will get fiber, 29% low-earth orbit satellite from Starlink and Project Kuiper, 4% fixed wireless, and 3% hybrid-fiber coax. Nevada is accepting comments until Sept. 2, 2025, two days before the plan is due at NTIA headquarters. (More after paywall.)
