State Broadband Office submits Final Proposal to NTIA for approval
Proposal is a 'game changer' for communities left behind, says WSBO interim director
Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) reached a significant Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program milestone when it submitted the state’s Final Proposal to the federal government on Sept. 4. This proposal is part of the state’s efforts to unlock $1.2 billion in federal funding to bridge the state’s digital divide.
View WSBO’s Final Proposal.
"This Final Proposal is a huge win for internet access in Washington," said Interim WSBO Director Joseph Williams. "We have a plan for our BEAD funding that will bring fast, reliable internet to every resident. For communities that have been left behind, this investment is a game changer."
The Final Proposal outlines the strategy for the state to award BEAD funds to subgrantees, which will build and expand broadband infrastructure across underserved and unserved areas of Washington. States and territories must undergo a multi-step process to receive the funds allocated to them from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The Final Proposal is the culmination of this process.
View the list of provisional awardees.
Breakout of technologies in provisional awards
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Total federal BEAD award
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$850,260,471
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Total match funding
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$290,513,027
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Fiber
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35.60%
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Fixed Wireless
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38.60%
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Low Earth Orbital Satellite
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25.80%
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Total BSLs
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165,976
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% BSLs covered
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99.99%
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Total funding available
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$1,140,773,498
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Developed in alignment with the federal BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, the plan reflects years of data analysis and stakeholder engagement, and a rigorous, competitive selection process designed to maximize impact while ensuring transparency and accountability.
What’s next
Once the NTIA approves, WSBO will formally announce awards and fund BEAD projects statewide. The new guidance sets a 90-day deadline for the NTIA to complete its review, which could push the NTIA approval into December.
About BEAD
The BEAD program aims to get all Americans online by funding partnerships between states or territories, tribal nations, communities, internet providers and other stakeholders to increase high-speed internet adoption. The federal program provides over $42 billion for infrastructure planning and implementation nationwide. Learn more about Commerce’s BEAD work on our Internet for All page. Washington received $1.2 billion of the total available for states.
It’s important to note that BEAD is an infrastructure investment program, meaning that it will result in connection to sites that haven’t had it before, but the service customer will pay for the monthly service. Recent federal updates to BEAD policies do not allow the program to implement affordability requirements.
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