Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is sponsored by Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Supports broadband infrastructure projects to expand high-speed internet access in underserved areas of Texas.

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Start typing a search term programs Texas Broadband Development Office Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the BEAD Program provides states federal funding to help expand high-speed internet access and use. Texas was allocated up to $3.

3 billion to support infrastructure deployment, mapping and adoption, including planning and capacity-building. On June 6, 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (Policy Notice) , which outlines significant changes to program requirements and how states must conduct the subgrantee selection process.

To comply with new federal requirements, the Broadband Development Office (BDO) has implemented policy changes that align the Texas BEAD Program with the recent Policy Notice. These updates include considering all technologies that meet the minimum performance standards, eliminating certain non-statutory requirements and administering an accelerated "Benefit of the Bargain Round" to evaluate applications based on cost and other factors.

All program information, planning documents and deadlines will be available here. Check back often. The BDO made preliminary award decisions and subsequently posted a draft of its Final Proposal for public comment from Oct.

13 to 22, 2025. After carefully reviewing the feedback received, the office finalized all necessary documentation and submitted the Draft Final Proposal to NTIA for approval on Oct. 27, 2025.

The BDO selected 22 applicants to serve over 240,000 broadband serviceable locations (BSLs) and over 2,700 Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) awarding $1. 2 billion in federal grant funds and $177 million is state match funds. Texas’ Final Proposal was approved on Dec.

4, 2025. Approved award details can be found in the documents below: Approved Texas Final Proposal (PDF) Deployment Projects (XLSX) The BDO is working with awardees to execute grant agreements and expects projects to begin construction as soon as Summer of 2026.

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED JULY 9 TO 22, 2025 Benefit of the Bargain Round The BDO accepted applications for the federally mandated Benefit of the Bargain Round from July 9 to 22, 2025. All applications were evaluated, and provisional award decisions were included in the Texas Final Proposal.

Application Challenge Period Following the application window, the BDO accepted written challenges from interested parties regarding Texas BEAD applications. The BDO has reviewed each submitted challenge and issued a written determination to the challenger as to whether the challenge was upheld. The BEAD-eligible location list submitted with the Final Proposal will be updated accordingly.

Application Challenge Process Guide The BDO used its previously scheduled virtual Industry Roundtable as an opportunity to provide meeting attendees updates on how the Texas BEAD Program will be administered in response to the Policy Notice. A recording of the meeting is available below.

Texas BEAD Subgrantee Selection Webinar Recordings The BDO hosted an eight-part webinar series to ensure potential applicants were prepared to submit successful applications. Due to federally required programmatic changes, the information provided in most of the webinars is no longer relevant. To avoid confusion, the outdated webinar recordings have been removed.

The remaining webinar recordings provide accurate information relevant to the Texas BEAD Program. Texas BEAD Subgrantee Selection Webinar Series Subgrantee Portal Walkthrough Please note the information provided in these webinars are subject to change as the BDO works to update the portal to reflect the new guidelines provided by NTIA.

APPROVED BY NTIA ON MAY 8, 2025 The BEAD Challenge Process was vital to ensuring the state accurately represents location-level funding eligibility for the BEAD Program. The BDO accepted service availability challenges from internet service providers (ISPs), units of local government and nonprofit organizations from Dec. 3-17, 2024.

The submitted challenges were reviewed by the BDO to determine validity. ISPs and community anchor institutions affected by a challenge had the opportunity to submit rebuttals from Jan. 10-24, 2025.

To ensure challengers were prepared, the BDO hosted several webinars throughout the Texas Availability Challenge Process. The following webinars covered the process and inputs needed to successfully file challenges and rebuttals: Oct. 30, 2024 – Webinar recording Nov.

13, 2024 – Webinar recording Dec. 4, 2024 – Webinar recording Jan. 8, 2025 - Webinar recording All challenged location IDs, challenge types and challengers are listed in the BEAD Challenge Submission Data spreadsheet .

The BDO submitted challenges and rebuttal evidence to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on April 1, 2025 and was approved on May 8, 2025. The BDO’s Final Determinations for all submitted challenges and the approved list of BEAD-eligible locations are provided on the Subgrantee Selection registration page .

States were required to submit a comprehensive two-volume Initial Proposal for the BEAD Program that detailed the steps they planned to take in pursuit of universal service. The BDO’s Initial Proposal was submitted to NTIA on Dec. 23, 2023.

Volume I of the Initial Proposal was approved on April 11, 2024. Volume II was approved on Nov. 21, 2024.

With the release of the NTIA’s BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, the BDO updated the program to align with the new guidance and timelines and submitted its required Initial Proposal correction letter by July 1, 2025.

BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I Amended (PDF) Identified Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) (XLSX) BEAD Initial Proposal Volume II (PDF) *see NOFA addenda for document updates *see NOFA addenda for document updates States and territories planning to access funding through the BEAD Program were required to develop and submit a Five-Year Action Plan to NTIA outlining broadband objectives, goals and priorities for ensuring unserved and underserved locations gain access to reliable broadband.

The plan served as a needs assessment and informed how the BDO developed a Texas-specific grant program with funding from the BEAD Program. Email us to request a copy of the BDO’s Five-Year Action Plan. If your question is not addressed here, email us .