The BEAD Program is designed to help the remaining toughest-to-reach and expensive places get reliable internet access by building broadband infrastructure.
Under the state's approved plan, officials from the Oklahoma Broadband Office said it will connect 40,509 homes, community institutions, and businesses to high-speed internet through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
Mike Sanders, the Oklahoma office's executive director, said this is an investment for business, health care, education and economic development that changes lives. He said it will connect the remaining 5% of the state and expand internet access to all counties.
"I'm really proud of the work and the effort that the Oklahoma Broadband Office has put together to make sure and to ensure that we get high-speed internet to locations of the state that have been forgotten for decades," Sanders said.
Congress allocated about $42 billion to BEAD in 2023. Last year, states submitted proposals and were about to begin the selection process when the administration paused the program and issued new guidance.
The Trump administration's aim was to cut costs and introduce different tech, which has caused people to worry about long-term connectivity.
Across the nation, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the BEAD's overseeing agency, announced in March that the program's price tag was lowered $21 billion because of the new measures. In Oklahoma, it is a $574 million-dollar plan down from state's initial allocation of $797 million.
Among the states, Sanders said Oklahoma ranked 12th and second regionally in retaining the originally allocated amount.
"That's something that we all should really, really be proud about because many states lost 70 to 80% of their allocation," Sanders said. "And we were able to make our case with NTIA working with our partners here in the state."
As for the leftover money, states are still waiting on federal guidance on what to do with it.
Yesterday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said a plan will be released in the next two months while testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee.
Sanders said when those taxpayer dollars return to the state, it would enhance connectivity in Oklahoma and has many ideas on how to put the funds to use.
"So I am cautiously optimistic that we'll have some guidance here," Sanders said. "But you know, I sound like a broken record because I've been saying that for a long time and so is NTIA."
Sanders said 53% of locations will be served with high-end fiber technology, 25% will be low-orbit satellite and 22% will be fixed wireless.
This is different from the office's original proposal. In September, the state was looking at a higher percentage of fiber, but costs were too high.
The office is administering other federal programs to expand access.
The combined federal programs total $1.4 billion, comprising $941 million in grants and $460 million in matching funds from awarded companies. In all, it will result in 70% of locations through the broadband office will get a fiber optic connection, 20% through fixed wireless and 10% via satellite.
As for when Oklahomans will see shovels in the ground on BEAD projects, he's hopeful they will happen in the coming months.
"I hope it's sooner, but I'm also cautious to the point where I need to plan and prepare for curveballs that are thrown my way," Sanders said. "So I'm hopeful late summer, early fall we'll have a bunch of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings because the people of Oklahoma have waited way too far long for this, and we're excited to get shovels in the ground and these great Oklahomans connected."
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
