The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved full initial proposals for Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. These jurisdictions can now move to the implementation phase of the BEAD program, during which they can select providers and projects to pass the funding to. Massachusetts will have access to more than $147 million; Missouri to $1.7 billion; New Mexico to $675 million; Tennessee to $813 million; Utah to $317 million; Virginia to $1.4 billion; the USVI to $27 million; and CNMI to more than $80 million.
The jurisdictions will have one year to submit a final proposal that details the outcome of the subgrantee selection process and how the state will ensure service to all unserved and underserved locations. 27 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia have now had their full initial BEAD proposals approved.
