Nebraska Counties Convinced BEAD Changes Will Leave Them Unconnected

Nebraska’s state broadband map—which was carefully designed and included a wealth of local input—received a major jolt with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s changes to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. The map is now inundated with industry data from unlicensed fixed wireless providers. Congress allocated $405 million to Nebraska to bring broadband internet to all unserved and underserved locations in the state. Following the release of NTIA’s June 6, 2025, policy notice, the total count of eligible locations for funding from Nebraska’s BEAD program was reduced from 29,597 to 14,288, a 52 percent reduction in eligible locations. Local governments throughout Nebraska are sending letters to their state legislators, congressional delegation, and Governor Jim Pillen to voice their concerns about the BEAD changes. The Southeast Nebraska Development District created a map to illustrate the number of eligible locations eliminated per county, and combined that data with information about which counties have already sent letters voicing concerns. Douglas County, which contains Omaha, lost the most locations of any county in the state—1,737 or 85 percent of its eligible locations due to the new BEAD guidelines.