The approved Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) projects will deliver transformative broadband expansion across the Commonwealth ― connecting all 129,356 remaining locations that lack high-speed internet service.
Governor Josh Shapiro continues to deliver on his promise to close the digital divide and connect every Pennsylvanian to reliable, affordable internet.
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Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved and executed an agreement with the Commonwealth to deploy $711,295,843 in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants to connect the remaining locations across the Commonwealth that currently lack high-speed internet service.
Pennsylvania, which was originally awarded $1.16 billion in BEAD funding, is connecting all residents at a savings of more than $400 million, far less than originally anticipated thanks to the PBDA’s diligent work to connect all areas of the Commonwealth to high-speed internet while protecting taxpayer dollars.
“Since day one, my Administration has worked to connect every Pennsylvanian to high-speed, affordable internet — and we’re going to drive out these BEAD dollars quickly to close the digital divide by the end of this decade,” said Governor Shapiro. "Ensuring every Pennsylvanian can connect to the internet is critical for students who want to learn, patients in rural communities who want to see their doctor, and small business owners who want to find new customers and succeed in Pennsylvania. We are bringing people together to get stuff done in the Commonwealth, and this is another significant step forward in creating real opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.”
These provisional BEAD projects will allow the Commonwealth to reach homes and businesses that have long lacked reliable high-speed internet, by extending existing networks to more remote areas, and ensure communities benefit from fiber and hybrid-fiber coaxial infrastructure wherever feasible. In some areas, fixed wireless and low-Earth orbit (LEO) technologies will provide an effective and scalable option to close remaining coverage gaps.
Through Pennsylvania’s BEAD plan, 20 approved entities across 69 projects will connect a total of 129,356 unserved and underserved locations across Pennsylvania. Of those locations, 74,878 will be connected by fiber technology, 6,855 will be connected by hybrid-fiber coaxial, 17,739 through fixed-wireless, and 29,884 via LEO.
“NTIA’s approval of Pennsylvania’s BEAD Final Proposal is a significant milestone that moves us substantially closer to fulfilling our commitment to connect everyone in the Commonwealth to high-speed internet,” said PBDA Executive Director Carson. “This progress would not have been possible without the leadership and dedication of the PBDA Board members and our partners across the state. The PBDA team will continue to work diligently to ensure these projects move forward quickly — bringing reliable, affordable service to the households, businesses, schools, and libraries that have gone without this essential connectivity for far too long.”
The BEAD program, established in accordance with the NTIA’s Notice of Funding Opportunity, NTIA’s BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, and Act 96 of 2021 utilizes funds allocated to Pennsylvania through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.
The PBDA has so far invested $269 million through various programs to close the digital divide in Pennsylvania:
- $204 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program for projects to bring high-speed internet to over 100,000 Pennsylvanians in 42 counties across the Commonwealth that currently have no service or struggle with poor service.
- $20 million to provide technology devices such as laptops for distribution to schools, libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, and other non-profits who can make them available to individuals that lack the technology needed to access the internet.
- $45 million in Multi-Purpose Community Facilities grants to fund 49 projects in 26 counties that will support key projects in local communities and help connect Pennsylvanians to the internet at public-facing facilities such as schools, local libraries, and community health centers.
Updated resources for the BEAD program, including FAQs, can be found on the PBDA’s BEAD Program Page.
Visit the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s website to learn more about its work to close the digital divide in the Commonwealth.