Mississippi is one step closer to having internet access in “every area of the state that still lacks access to high-speed internet” after the federal government approved the state’s broadband expansion plan, Gov. Tate Reeves announced Tuesday.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Monday gave the final approval from the federal level that the State needed to begin implementing expansion under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.
“This buildout will strengthen our workforce, support our small businesses, and open the door for new industries to invest in our state,” Reeves said in a Tuesday statement. “When we connect more Mississippians, we grow our economy, we create jobs, and we build a stronger future for our people.”
Then-President Joe Biden announced on June 26, 2023, that the state would receive $1.2 billion for high-speed internet infrastructure across the state through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
The BEAD program granted $42.45 billion total to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five U.S territories as part of the president’s Internet For All Initiative and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade or install broadband in all parts of the country.
Democratic U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson and Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker were the only members of Mississippi’s congressional delegation who voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that created the BEAD program. Wicker has supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law since 2021 when he spoke to the U.S. Senate on behalf of the package.
The Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi is in charge of the state’s broadband program, and it will supervise the execution of expanding the state’s broadband access.
BEAM chose 12 internet providers to participate in the program after receiving applications during the summer time and undergoing a selection process to choose the awardees, the governor’s press release said. BEAM gave the chosen internet service providers more than $508 million, and the internet service providers will also contribute $321 million from their private funds to connect 93,000 unserved Mississippi households to the internet.
“The BEAM office conducted detailed mapping and engineering reviews to make sure this funding goes to those lacking service and to prevent wasteful overbuilding,” BEAM Director Sally Doty said in a Tuesday press release. “As buildouts begin, a comprehensive monitoring plan will track progress and ensure that all funding is used in the most efficient manner possible.”