BEAD Program

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

In November 2021, a $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into Law. Congress appropriated $42.45 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to administer the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This federal funding will be distributed to states and territories to finance broadband deployment projects.

• The BEAD program is the single largest federal broadband investment to date: $42.45 Billion.
  
  
• BEAD will provide broadband infrastructure deployment funding to unserved and underserved locations throughout the United States.
  
  
• Federal Funding for the BEAD program will be distributed to states & territories to award.
  
  
• BEAD prioritizes unserved first, followed by underserved.
  
  
• The State of Michigan will receive $1.559 billion in BEAD funding to close the digital divide.
  
  
• Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) is administering the $1.559 billion allocation. 
   
  
• The State of Michigan's MIHI Office has developed a BEAD 5-Year Action Plan. 
  
  

The MIHI Office BEAD 5-Year Action Plan envisions a state where every Michigander has:

• Affordable & reliable internet connection available to meet each & every household needs.
• A high-speed-internet-enable device(s) that meet the needs of everyone in the home.
• Access to digital skills training regardless of who they are or where they live.
• Access to technical support to maximize device and application use.
• The ability to reside anywhere in the state & not worry about access to internet service.
• Freedom from digital discrimination & barriers-to-connectivity.
  
  

To ACHIEVE this VISION, this document identifies 5-priorities through which the MIHI Office will IMPLEMENT the BEAD Program:

• Reduce barriers to broadband deployment.
• Maximize the use and reach of federal funds.
• Promote digital equity and inclusion.
• Empower communities through engagement and involvement.
• Advocate for resiliency & sustainability for broadband infrastructure development.