$1.2 billion is available to connect more people in Washington to high-speed internet

OLYMPIA, Wash. – There is massive interest in the Washington State Broadband Office’s (WSBO) first application round for $1.2 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) funding. The first round, which closed January 31, resulted in 307 applications covering most of the project areas across the state. Awards will be made after all three funding rounds and federal approval.

“Online access is more important today than it’s ever been,” said Washington Governor Bob Ferguson. “Getting online should be as easy for someone in Washington’s rural deserts and forests as it is in our state’s business districts. Our broadband initiative is making a difference for people in Washington and creating more access without limitations based on address.”

“We’re working to bring everyone in Washington online,” said Commerce Director Joe Nguyen. “The incredible interest in this round of funding makes it clear that people all over Washington want access to fast and reliable internet. I want to thank our partners in the state who have worked so hard to make this day possible and chose to participate in this generational opportunity to change lives in communities that haven’t had access to high-speed internet previously.”

The 307 applications WSBO received covered 180 of 236 project areas. They were from organizations including tribes, counties, public utility districts, ports and internet service providers (ISPs). WSBO’s BEAD maps shows eligible project areas across the state. More than 214,000 locations across the state do not have high-speed broadband service.

“Getting to this point has been a huge lift and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of everyone, including Commerce staff, state legislative partners, the Governor’s Office, federal partners and all our external partners who are helping to make Internet for All a reality in Washington,” said WSBO Director Aaron Wheeler.

By the numbers

• 307 applications received
• 77% of BEAD-eligible locations received at least one bid, representing 79% of Broadband Service Locations (BSLs)
• 49% of BEAD-eligible locations received two or more bids

A previous $10 million WSBO infrastructure funding grant awarded to Hood Canal Communications for the Northern Hood Canal Fiber Extension in Jefferson County is an example of the difference these projects can make in the state. The project will provide fiber optic cable to provide fast, reliable and less expensive internet service to 862 homes in previously underserved rural areas. Watch the ribbon-cutting event on YouTube.

More hard work is ahead as the first round of applications undergo review and approval. Once those reviews are complete, future application round opening dates will be announced.  After completing all three BEAD application rounds, WSBO will create a package of potential awardees and send it to the federal government for final approval. Once final approval is received from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), WSBO will formally announce awards and fund BEAD projects statewide. The complete application process is detailed in our BEAD Volume II document.

Eligibility

The BEAD program is open to cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, private companies, public or private utilities, public utility districts, and local and tribal governments.

Projects must serve areas identified and approved through the BEAD process. Commerce posted BEAD construction project area maps that detail unserved and underserved locations across the state eligible for BEAD funding. View project area maps.

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. There is no federal freeze on BEAD funding, and we continue to partner closely with our federal partners on this work.

Digital equity dashboard

The Washington State Broadband Office launched a Digital Equity Dashboard to help everyone understand the digital divide – that is, the gap between those without access to technology, digital literacy skills and the internet. View the Digital Equity Dashboard.

Media Contact

Amelia Lamb, Commerce Communications, (360) 995-3386