DENVER - Today, the Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) released the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program Final Proposal for public comment, indicating to Coloradans which locations will receive high-speed internet access as a result of federal funding. The Final Proposal summarizes the results of the NTIA’s Benefit of the Bargain Round of applications and includes a map of locations where BEAD funding will support Coloradans, which providers will be awarded, and the proposed funding amount.
“This document, the culmination of a lengthy BEAD planning process, names the projects the state is proposing to award BEAD funding to and which areas will gain high-speed internet access,” said Brandy Reitter, CBO Executive Director. “This is the first time the public can see where the highly anticipated $826.5 million from BEAD will be allocated.”
Colorado is proposing to connect 48% of eligible locations to fiber, 50% of eligible locations to low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, and 2% of eligible locations to wireless providers. Regarding the proposed funding allocation, fiber providers will receive 91%, LEO providers will receive 8%, and wireless providers will receive 1%.
The CBO invites the public to provide feedback on the BEAD Final Proposal until Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. The Final Proposal, a map of proposed awards and the public comment form are all available on the CBO’s BEAD website.
Despite changes made by the federal administration to the BEAD program in June, Colorado’s Final Proposal continues to target Colorado residents in areas where broadband infrastructure is difficult and costly to establish. The NTIA required a change in state award selection priorities, favoring a rapid, low-cost, technology-neutral investment of federal funds over fiber projects.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) also required states to rescind all previous awards and conduct a new Benefit of the Bargain application round, significantly accelerating the timeline for states to review applications and make decisions.
“Thanks to all BEAD program participants and providers who helped connect Colorado to high-speed internet, enabling CBO to meet its mandates,” added Reitter.
The state will consider comments and submit the Final Proposal to the NTIA by the Sept. 4, 2025, deadline. The NTIA must approve the Final Proposal before the awards are final.
The BEAD program originated from the Biden Administration’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.