Oklahoma Broadband Office Releases BEAD Final Proposal for Public Comment
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO) has released its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Final Proposal, a key milestone in the state’s effort to expand access to reliable, high-speed internet. The Final Proposal is available for public review on the OBO’s BEAD page. Comments will be accepted through September 1 at BEAD@broadband.ok.gov. Details of the proposal are subject to revision based on final NTIA approval.
The BEAD program, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), will assist Oklahoma in connecting unserved and underserved homes, businesses, farms, schools and other community anchor institutions. The Final Proposal outlines how Oklahoma will implement the funding, how projects were scored, and details the transparency and accountability measures the OBO will follow as projects move forward.
“This proposal proudly implements fiber, fixed wireless, satellite and Tribal providers,” said Oklahoma Broadband Office Executive Director Mike Sanders. “With hundreds of millions of dollars more in investment, our plan will create new opportunities for thousands of Oklahomans. The BEAD Final Proposal is the roadmap to closing the digital divide in our state.”
The office has provisionally selected 20 internet service providers to cover more than 34,000 unserved and underserved locations in the state. Fiber optic technology will be provided to 65 percent of awarded locations, while fixed wireless will serve 20 percent and 15 percent will receive low-earth orbit satellite service.
The Final Proposal provisionally awards $550 million coupled with $198 million in matching funds from service providers. As a result of the new Benefit of the Bargain round of bidding instituted by the Trump administration, the state is saving $225 million in originally allocated grant funds.
Following this public comment period, the OBO will finalize and submit the document by September 4 to NTIA for approval. Once approved, Oklahoma will begin executing agreements with providers that will build out broadband networks across the state.
The BEAD program will complement ongoing OBO-administered broadband expansion projects funded through the ARPA program, which will connect more than 69,000 locations.
# # #
For more information contact:
Tim Allen, Director of Communications and Media Relations
tim.allen@broadband.ok.gov
(405) 205-4929
