Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program supports broadband providers' deployment projects to expand high-speed internet access for North Carolina's unserved homes, businesses and anchor institutions.
Funder: North Carolina Department of IT — GREAT Broadband
Due Dates: February 20, 2025 (Challenge rebuttal phase ended) | Seven days after notice (Unlicensed fixed wireless evidence intent) | Seven calendar days after response (Supporting evidence)
Funding Amounts: $42.45 billion nationally; deployment required within four years of a subgrant
Summary: BEAD supports broadband deployment to North Carolina’s remaining unserved and underserved locations and eligible community anchor institutions.
Key Information: Selection is technology-neutral under NTIA’s June 2025 restructuring policy, with lowest overall BEAD outlay the primary criterion.
Description
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is administered federally by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and in North Carolina by NCDIT’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity. North Carolina’s five-year plan uses mapping, asset inventories and community input to identify gaps in high-speed internet access. Deployment targets include remaining unserved and underserved homes and businesses, high-cost locations, and community anchor institutions lacking symmetrical gigabit access.
NTIA’s June 6, 2025 restructuring policy changes the competitive process to allow all qualifying broadband technologies and emphasize cost-effective deployment. It also rescinds prior approval of non-deployment activities, placing that funding under review. North Carolina’s initial proposals may be updated to reflect these changes, including removal of earlier non-statutory workforce, stakeholder-engagement and technology-preference requirements.
