NTIA Announces All States and Territories Have Submitted Applications for BEAD Program Planning Funds

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that all states and territories have submitted applications for initial planning funds as part of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative. The BEAD Program enables states and territories to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs. In total, President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides $65 billion to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet. Initial planning fund applications for the BEAD program were due by August 15, 2022. NTIA will evaluate the applications and make awards available as expeditiously as possible. Within 270 days of the receipt of planning funds, states and territories are required to submit a Five-Year Action Plan, which will help establish goals and priorities for high-speed internet service and serve as a comprehensive needs assessment.