HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has provisionally approved $793.4 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant funding to connect all remaining unserved locations across the state. The proposal now enters a brief public comment phase before final submission to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval.
This decisive move by PBDA brings Pennsylvania closer to fulfilling its commitment to universal high-speed internet access, leveraging nearly $1.16 billion in BEAD funds awarded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The proposal includes a mix of technologies—fiber, hybrid-fiber coaxial, fixed wireless, and low-earth orbit satellite—to expand coverage efficiently.
Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the broader impact of this initiative. “When people are connected to reliable, affordable internet, they have better health outcomes, better education outcomes, and better economic outcomes,” he said. “We’re committed to closing the digital divide in the Commonwealth.”
Next steps involve a seven-day public comment period, which begins immediately and ends August 29 at 5:00 PM ET. Following this, PBDA will finalize the proposal and submit it to the NTIA by September 4. Federal approval and disbursement of funds are expected by year-end.
Additional federal support is complementing BEAD, including $45 million in grants for broadband infrastructure at community facilities, $204.1 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), and $20 million allocated toward expanding access to technology devices statewide.
Pennsylvania’s BEAD strategy includes a comprehensive engagement and challenge process to ensure equity and transparency. The PBDA’s publicly available final proposal incorporates open science principles and allows stakeholders to flag and challenge broadband coverage classifications, with safeguards to protect personally identifiable information.
This accelerated timeline positions Pennsylvania to deploy high-speed internet statewide rapidly, creating opportunities across healthcare, education, and economic development while reinforcing accountability through public participation and rigorous oversight.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.