The state is set to receive $826.5 million from the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program to help build out high-speed broadband in some of the most remote areas of Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) said on Sept. 12 that the application period is open.
“Being one of the first to open this funding positions us ahead of other states and territories, and will lead to Colorado completing projects faster,” Polis said in a statement.
The BEAD funding coming to Colorado is part of the $42.5 billion broadband expansion funding program created by the federal infrastructure law.
Internet service providers, as well as governments, nonprofits and electric utility co-ops are encouraged to apply for the BEAD funding, aimed at bringing reliable, affordable high-speed Internet service to unserved and underserved regions.
Eligibility for the grants will be determined by the state’s BEAD Eligible Location List, developed from Federal Communications Commission data and input from communities, tribes and other entities to determine where broadband infrastructure is lacking.
“Colorado’s unique blend of mountainous terrain and rural plains encourage creative solutions and collaboration,” Brandy Reitter, CBO executive director, said in a statement. “While fiber is ideal, we will evaluate every application and consider a variety of technologies to find the best solution for each community.”
Polis’ goal, set in February 2022 by executive order, is to connect 99 percent of Colorado households to high-speed broadband by 2027. Roughly 93 percent of homes currently have broadband, Reitter said earlier this year.
That’s an improvement from when work to expand coverage began; then, about 10 percent of households were considered not connected — or about 180,000 locations, including the unserved and underserved. The Rocky Mountain Range’s many high summits are “... really cost prohibitive to build any kind of infrastructure in those areas,” Reitter said.
