Brightspeed, the nation’s third-largest fiber broadband builder empowering families and business owners with high-speed connectivity, announced it has been awarded federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program grants in Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.Â
The states’ combined grants awarded to Brightspeed total $222,165,886 — enabling the company to reach an additional 73,709 homes and businesses with its multi-gig-speed Brightspeed Fiber Internet network.
Brightspeed is already making a multi-billion-dollar investment in deploying next-generation fiber-optic broadband network technology with the goal of reaching more than five million homes and businesses across 20 states — including Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company’s Brightspeed Fiber Internet service is now available to nearly 318,000 homes and businesses in Arkansas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, with thousands more coming online each month. Additionally, the BEAD awards mark the beginning of Brightspeed’s fiber network build in Oklahoma. In addition to the company’s own investment, Brightspeed has been awarded BEAD program awards in each of these states as follows:
Arkansas: $26,279,777 — 13,791 locations
Georgia: $2,265,592 — 1,405 locations
Oklahoma: $1,893,595 — 148 locations
Pennsylvania: $40,112,441 — 9,126 locations
Virginia: $16,661,198 — 4,963 locations
Wisconsin: $134,953,282 — 44,276 locations
Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin already awarded Brightspeed more than $8.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to augment the company’s $15.5 million investment in bringing fiber internet to communities in those states. The ARPA funds will give more than 9,000 Americans in those four states access to high-speed connectivity they don’t have today. Brightspeed continues to pursue state and federal grants and funds to further augment its planned build in the states that it serves, including BEAD program funding.
Michel Combes, Executive Chairman & CEO
From day one, we set out with an ambitious mission: to transform connectivity for millions of Americans across 20 states by building a world-class fiber network in rural and suburban communities left behind by yesterday’s providers. The BEAD program accelerates that mission, unlocking an unprecedented opportunity to deliver life-changing connections that empower families, fuel businesses and ignite local economies. And we’re only just getting started. We are actively pursuing even more BEAD funding to expand our impact in the states we serve.
Pamela Sherwood, Broadband Office Vice President
For families and business owners, fast, affordable and reliable internet isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline. With our planned network builds and the support of the BEAD program, we’re not just expanding access, we’re delivering a game-changing victory for communities across our footprint. This funding empowers us to bring ultra-fast internet to even more Americans, unlocking new opportunities for work, learning, health care and growth.