The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has provisionally approved $793.4 million in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grants seeking to connect every Pennsylvanian to high-speed internet.
The plan remains open for public comment through Aug. 29, after which it will be submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for final approval by Sept. 4. The NTIA anticipates awarding federal BEAD funds by the end of 2025.
Grants have been allocated among 21 providers, including Amazon’s Kuiper and SpaceX. Comcast stands to receive the largest share with more than $229 million to serve over 20,800 locations. The BEAD funds may be used for construction, equipment, planning and personnel, with projects requiring a 25% match. Full deployment is projected to be complete by as late as 2029.
In parallel efforts, the state has already used $204.1 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program funded by the Capital Projects Fund to connect more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians who previously lacked service or had poor service. The state is also targeting 44,000 homes and businesses with ARPA funds allocated through the same Capital Projects Fund and managed by the PBDA.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said the BEAD investment will help close the digital divide and improve health, education and economic outcomes. The initiative prioritizes rural and high-need communities. Pennsylvania was originally awarded $1.16 billion in BEAD funding, but to reduce costs in hard-to-serve terrains the state will deploy a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, low Earth orbit satellite and hybrid fiber coaxial cable technologies.
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