Broadband Nation Expo 2024

Since the BEAD program launched, the program has rightly prioritized connecting all the remaining un- and under-served with reliable, high speed broadband. But the intention of the program has always been for BEAD funding to be available not just to sustainably close the availability gap in the long-term, but to also address barriers to broadband adoption. This presentation will demonstrate that, even though BEAD funding is not limitless, smart policy choices and the right mix of technologies deployed will allow every state to reserve significant BEAD funding for much-needed digital equity programs. With additional digital equity funding at their disposal, state broadband offices can ensure that this once-in-a-generation Internet for All program is truly closing the digital divide, not building a road to nowhere.