Vermont Receives BEAD Bids for Every Underserved Address in the State
All unserved and underserved locations received bids for service, VCBB reports.
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2025 – In the ‘Benefit of the Bargain’ round to allocate the state’s $229 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding, Vermont received bids to serve 100 percent of all currently underserved addresses within the state.
Herryn Herzog, communications, strategy, and policy director for the Vermont Community Broadband Board, told Broadband Breakfast on Tuesday that the state received 100 applications from eight providers, with multiple bids proposing to serve all 15,665 currently unserved and underserved locations in Vermont.
After a compressed application period – which opened July 15 and closed July 25 – the VCBB will soon review and score the bids from the ‘Benefit of the Bargain’ round mandated by federal changes to BEAD program in June.
According to VCBB, the revised grant round saw the introduction of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite bids. Several LEO providers had signaled intent to apply during that prior rounds, but none ultimately submitted applications — making the current round the first in which Vermont has actually received LEO bids.
Applicants looking to service underserved communities have proposed doing so with a mix of technology, including fiber, hybrid-fiber coaxial, and LEO satellite – but notably, no wireless providers submitted bids.
“We’re pleased with the amount and technological variety of bids we received and most importantly that we’re on track to get all Vermonters served with broadband, enabling and empowering them to work, learn, socialize, and take advantage of all the opportunities the digital world offers,” VCBB's Executive Director Christine Hallquist said in a press release Monday.
According to Vermont’s BEAD timeline, VCBB will finish its review, scoring, and negotiation cycle on August 22.
After a period for public comment, the state will submit its final proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on September 4.
Once the federal government approves the selections, bidders will be notified and deployment of broadband service for all of Vermont’s underserved areas can begin.
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify that while no low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite bids were submitted during Vermont’s initial BEAD grant round, LEO providers were eligible and had expressed intent to apply.
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