An ultra fast broadband tower is seen on a rural farm. (Sandra Mu/Getty Images)
The Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) is proud to announce the achievement of our most significant milestone – the allocation of more than $42 million in Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program awards to connect the final 14,032 unserved and underserved Nebraska locations to high-speed, reliable broadband.
These awards, pending final approval by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), represent the biggest step yet toward total connectivity in our state.
This achievement is the result of years of steady effort, persistence and adaptation to changing federal guidance. NBO has worked tirelessly to meet every requirement of the BEAD program while keeping our focus on the needs of Nebraskans.
Creation of the NBO was one of Gov. Jim Pillen’s first initiatives. Our work now is to carry out his vision to meet Nebraska’s broadband needs — especially in rural communities — by ensuring access that is affordable, reliable and high-speed.
The final 14,000 locations are the most challenging to connect. These are the places that providers have historically been reluctant to serve, as evidenced by the lack of applications to serve them received by our office.
For the first time, every one of these locations now has a firm commitment to receive the same quality of broadband service available in our most connected communities. This is an extraordinary accomplishment that reflects a commitment to broadband for all.
Nebraska’s plan embraces every solution, creating a deployment strategy that is practical and forward-looking. These technologies not only exceed NTIA’s current requirements but are evolving rapidly, operating at the cutting edge and advancing before our eyes. Most importantly, this approach gets service to families and businesses faster.
Our plan also extends impact beyond homes and businesses by connecting 54 community anchor institutions, such as libraries, hospitals and fire stations that serve as vital hubs for communities. This new infrastructure will strengthen Nebraska’s capacity for healthcare, education and emergency response while laying infrastructure that nearby communities can build upon.
Our work will not stop here. As of this proposal, approximately $324.6 million of Nebraska’s BEAD allocation remains unspent. NBO is aggressively working to keep these funds in the state. This would allow us to pursue non-deployment investments that will multiply the impact of these funds – enhancing precision agriculture, expanding access to healthcare technologies, supporting digital workforce readiness and preparing communities for an AI-driven economy.
These efforts, combined with our deployment plan, will broaden opportunities for every Nebraskan, ensuring that both our people and our communities thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
This plan reflects the very best of Nebraska: persistence, adaptability and innovation. By combining the strengths of multiple technologies and preparing for what comes next, we are setting the stage for a broadband network that will serve Nebraskans today and keep our state at the forefront of connectivity tomorrow.
Haggerty leads the Nebraska Broadband Office. A Grand Island native with more than 35 years in the telecommunications industry, he returned home to ensure every Nebraska community has access to reliable broadband service.
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