Fiber Looks Strong as Virginia Sends BEAD List for Approval: Awardee Rankings

Without fanfare, the state of Virginia released its list of award recommendations in the “Benefit of the Bargain” round of the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. That round was based on the new rules for the BEAD Program announced in June 2025. The recommendations list must be approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) before awards are final. According to a fact sheet from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), funding will go toward making high-speed broadband available to 133,742 locations. A total of $613.3 million will be awarded, assuming NTIA approves the recommendations. The new BEAD rules eliminate the preference for fiber broadband that was a key element of the original rules. Nevertheless, most Virginia locations (81%) will be served by fiber broadband, with 10 percent served by satellite, 8 percent by cable and one percent by fixed wireless, according to New Street Research.