WISPA Mostly Happy as Tentative BEAD Results Come In

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2025 – Now that states have completed bidding and released tentative grant winners under new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program rules, the trade group for small and wireless ISPs is mostly happy with how things have shaken out.

The Trump administration introduced new rules for the $42.45 billion program in June, ending a categorical preference for fiber and making it easier for wireless and satellite providers to compete on the basis of deployment cost. States also had to give fixed wireless providers using unlicensed spectrum the chance to verify their coverage – and thus protect their service areas from a subsidized competitor – before holding an additional bidding round under the new rules.

“I do count the whole thing as a win,” WISPA CEO David Zumwalt said in a video the group posted Tuesday. “I wish it could have happened sooner, but I’m glad to see NTIA returning the BEAD program to alignment with the underlying IIJA.”