NTIA: 34 States, Territories Join BEAD Program

NTIA said 34 states and territories expressed intent to join the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. NTIA said Wednesday it received letters of intent from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, American Samoa, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. States can get up to $5 million in planning funds by submitting the letters, which are due July 18. “It is absolutely critical that states join our efforts to deliver on access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. NTIA released BEAD and other Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act notices of funding opportunity Friday (see 2205130054).