TUPELO – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Mississippi’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. BEAD is a federal grant program that aims to get all Americans online by funding partnerships between states, communities, and stakeholders to build infrastructure and increase adoption of high-speed internet.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., was the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee when the infrastructure bill was signed into law, creating the BEAD Program. His role as a key negotiator helped deliver the $1.2 billion in federal funding that has made this program possible.

This approval of the state’s proposal puts Mississippi’s counties one step closer to unlocking the BEAD Program funds, installing broadband, and connecting many underserved Mississippians to high-speed internet.

Senator Wicker has worked for years to ensure that Mississippi’s broadband needs were accurately reflected in national coverage maps that are used to distribute federal funding for broadband.

Senator Wicker released the following statement:

“We improved the maps, secured the record federal funding, and created this program. The fight to increase broadband access in Mississippi’s communities has been worth it,” Senator Wicker said. “This update is another step in the right direction and builds on our success. I will continue working with local, state, and federal officials to keep the BEAD Program on track.”

In Mississippi, the BEAD Program will be administered by the state Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi office. BEAD prioritizes unserved locations that have no internet access or that only have access under 25/3 Mbps and underserved locations that only have access under 100/20 Mbps.