Colorado secures $420M to expand rural broadband access

DENVER — Colorado will receive more than $420 million in federal broadband funding after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved the state’s final proposal under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

The approval unlocks $420.6 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which state officials say will bring high-speed internet to more than 96,000 residents who currently lack reliable access.

“For too long, thousands of Coloradans have been stuck without the reliable high-speed internet needed to work, learn, run a business or access health care. This historic investment will help ensure that Coloradans have access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet required to thrive,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.

The Colorado Broadband Office, part of the Governor’s Office of Information Technology, will oversee the deployment. The plan calls for connecting rural and some urban households and businesses through a mix of fiber, wireless networks and low Earth orbit satellites. A map showing which locations will receive each technology is available in the state’s final proposal.

Brandy Reitter, executive director of the Colorado Broadband Office, said the funding represents years of planning and is a major milestone for rural communities.

“This approval from the NTIA is the culmination of years of intensive planning and application processes. This is a monumental win for rural Coloradans who have lacked access to high-speed internet,” Reitter said. “This highly anticipated $420.6 million in BEAD funding will be strategically deployed to connect our most remote communities and directly address the digital divide.”

The BEAD program was created under the Biden administration’s Internet for All initiative. Colorado’s congressional delegation, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Rep. Joe Neguse, played key roles in securing the funds and shaping broadband standards. The state previously received more than $5 million in planning funds in 2022 and $826 million in BEAD allocations in 2023.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has 20 days to review the state’s plan. Colorado will then have 30 days to sign off. After that, the broadband office can begin grant agreements, draw down funds and advance projects to connect unserved and underserved areas. Once awarded, grantees will have four years to complete construction.

State officials say the investment brings Colorado closer to meeting the governor’s goal of connecting 99% of residents to high-speed internet.