Gov. Pillen Announces Federal Approval of Nebraska’s BEAD Final Proposal

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Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Announces Federal Approval of Nebraska's BEAD Final Proposal

LINCOLN, NE -- Governor Jim Pillen is announcing a major milestone in Nebraska's efforts to ensure all areas of the state have robust and reliable internet service. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has formally approved the state's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) final proposal. This authorizes Nebraska to transition from planning to implementation of its statewide broadband expansion strategy.

NTIA's approval affirms Nebraska's strategic, data-driven, and technology-neutral broadband plan - one that supports economic growth and improvements in education, healthcare and agriculture. From here, the state moves into the implementation phase, enabling approximately $44.5 million in federal funding and $21 million in private investment to deploy to the remaining unserved Nebraskans - the last 2% of homes, farms, and small businesses still waiting for a reliable high-speed broadband option.

"This is a tremendous victory for Nebraska," said Gov. Pillen. "Reliable broadband is essential for daily life, from schoolwork and healthcare to running a business or managing a farm. With this approval, rural Nebraskans who have been left waiting will finally have access to the same online opportunities and services as everyone else. Our plan is practical, responsible, and built to serve Nebraska's needs today and for many years to come."

BEAD funding was limited to the state's remaining unserved locations and relies on a balanced mix of technologies designed to provide connectivity across Nebraska's varied landscape. The approach being pursued is intended to support long-term reliability, responsible spending, and practical solutions for the hardest-to-reach areas, positioning Nebraska to be among the first states to push projects into the market.

Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) Director Patrick Haggerty said the federal approval marks the start of the transformational work ahead.

"I am proud of our team's relentless efforts in an ever-changing environment, and equally proud of the results," he added. "This approval allows Nebraska to move quickly into deployment and begin connecting the remaining unserved locations."

A sizeable amount of federal funding remains undeployed under BEAD. Gov. Pillen has advocated that the state be allowed to retain those funds and allocate them to other projects that would benefit from investment - endeavors that would enhance precision agriculture, biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The status of the remaining undeployed federal funding is expected to be announced early next year.

Gov. Pillen thanked President Trump and the U.S. Department of Commerce for implementing reforms to the BEAD program aimed at eliminating burdensome requirements and streamlining the build-out of broadband infrastructure.

"Those actions saved the program from Biden-era stagnation and ensures we can quickly and efficiently get high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas in the most low-density rural parts of Nebraska, while protecting American taxpayers."