Three Years of High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Investment

November 15, 2024

Three years ago today, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL included $65 billion to connect everyone in America to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet service while providing connected devices and digital skills training to those who need it.

Exactly one year ago, we previewed what we expected to happen in Year 3 of the Internet for All initiative:

• Approval of state and territory BEAD Initial Proposals
• Commencement of state BEAD challenge processes and the selection of subgrantees
• Notices of Funding Opportunity for the Digital Equity Act programs
• The first announcements of TBCP awards from the second Notice of Funding Opportunity
• Groundbreakings across all of our Internet for All programs.

To mark the occasion, NTIA took a look back at the major accomplishments against those projected goals over the last twelve months. Indeed, we saw major projects come to conclusion, tens of thousands of homes connected and devices distributed, and new programs getting off the ground.

BEAD Funds Are Flowing

As 2023 drew to a close, all 56 states and territories had submitted their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program Initial Proposals for how they intend to use their allocated funds to connect every unserved and underserved location within their borders. As of today, NTIA has approved 55 of 56 proposals and expects to approve the State of Texas in the coming days. Approval enabled states to request access to their BEAD allocations, and request they have: the Federal government has obligated more than $35 billion of the $42.45 billion available in the program.

And states and territories are on the move. Nearly all states have begun their challenge process to determine the list of locations eligible for BEAD-funded projects and nine have begun the selection of Internet Service Providers that will build the networks to connect the unconnected. We anticipate that the first state to complete subgrantee selection will announce its results imminently, with many more to follow.

It's worth noting that all of the approved Initial Proposals contain common sense measures rooted in the statute and set out in the BEAD funding notice. This includes provisions that protect these taxpayer-funded networks against weather-related disasters like hurricanes and wildfires and that ensure the availability of affordable plans for seniors, Veterans, and other qualifying low-income households. It continues to be vital that these historic Federal investments be both available and beneficial to everyone in America and that they stand the test of time.

Bringing BEAD Manufacturing Jobs Back to the U.S.

This year, NTIA finalized its limited, targeted waiver of the Build America Buy America provisions of the BIL with respect to the BEAD program. Since we first announced our intention to implement the law with limited exceptions, fiber optic and network equipment manufacturers have announced the reshoring of more than 2,500 jobs to the U.S. Mutiple companies have since rolled their first new American-made products off of assembly lines in states like Michigan, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

And this fall, NTIA issued the first self-certification list for companies that are BABA-compliant for the BEAD program. Already 25 companies have self-certified, with more to come.

Implementing the Largest Investment in Digital Equity in History

Having a reliable, affordable Internet connection is not enough, however: people need the devices and digital skills necessary to fully participate in our digital economy. Last year, every state and territory received Digital Equity planning grants from NTIA to develop their digital equity plans. In the last year, for the first time in American history, every state and territory adopted its own digital equity plan. NTIA reviewed and accepted every one, paving the way for the states' participation in our Digital Equity State Capacity Grant program.

Launched in March 2024, the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant program made available more than $800 million this year to enable states to implement their plans; to date, NTIA has announced more than $338 million in approved applications.

NTIA also launched the Digital Equity Competitive Grant program in July, making nearly $1 billion available to city and county governments, Native entities, nonprofits, community anchor institutions, local educational agencies, and workforce development organizations. The funds will support programs that ensure communities have access to devices and skills regardless of their background or circumstances. NTIA received more than 700 applications requesting more than $6.5 billion, demonstrating the resounding need for digital equity projects across America.

Deployment and Adoption Across Our Programs

As BEAD and Digital Equity funding continues to take flight, NTIA's other Internet for All grant programs are already connecting people.

Our Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) was already the largest investment ever in high-speed Internet service on Tribal lands. Our first funding notice resulted in awards totaling $1.86 billion to 226 Tribal entities. Those projects have already connected or lowered Internet costs for more than 4,500 Tribal homes, with many more to come. In Year Three, NTIA launched a second funding notice, making up to $980 million available. We announced our first award in this round earlier this week: $72 million to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

A few other highlights:

• Through our Middle Mile Program, 3,200 miles of fiber are already under construction. NTIA leadership has participated in multiple groundbreaking events this year as projects get underway.
• Our Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) has made service available to more than 40,000 previously unserved households, even as funded projects continue to kick off.
• Grantees from our $263 million Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program have distributed more than 21,000 devices to students at Minority-Serving Institutions and members of their surrounding communities to date. Our grantees are graduating fiber technician apprentices, training students in emerging skills like 3D printing, and enabling career changes. Read about how a CMC grant in Texas helped an Air Force retiree return to college.

Check back on NTIA.gov and follow us on LinkedIn and twitter/x for updates.