BEAD Delivery Summit

The BEAD Program represents the largest public investment in broadband infrastructure in U.S. history and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to close the digital divide. Yet as projects move from planning to execution, stakeholders across the ecosystem face significant challenges around permitting, workforce availability, supply chains, funding timelines, technology choices, and project delivery. Successfully deploying billions of dollars in broadband investment will require close collaboration between federal and state agencies, network operators, investors, contractors, and local communities. This panel will explore what must happen to ensure BEAD funding translates into networks delivered on time, on budget, and with lasting economic impact.

• What are the biggest barriers preventing BEAD projects from moving efficiently from awards to construction?
• How can operators, states, and local authorities streamline permitting, approvals, and deployment processes?
• What lessons can be learned from previous broadband funding programs and large-scale infrastructure projects?

Public broadband funding programs such as BEAD are helping extend connectivity to underserved communities that may not otherwise attract private investment. However, building a network is only the first step. The long-term success of these projects depends on creating sustainable business models that can support ongoing operations, maintenance, upgrades, and customer adoption long after grant funding has been spent. As operators, policymakers, investors, and communities work together to bridge the digital divide, the focus is increasingly shifting from network deployment to long-term economic viability. This panel will explore what it takes to build broadband networks that are not only fundable, but sustainable for decades to come.

• How can we assess the long-term viability of BEAD networks? And what can be done to ensure they remain viable?
• What role should public funding play in subsidizing connectivity?
• What lessons can be learned from previous government-funded broadband initiatives?

Join us for a series of state-focused roundtables focusing on key states.

• How are public-private partnerships evolving within the state? 
• How can we overcome specific local challenges?
• Where are the investment opportunities and how can a state attract more investment?

The broadband funding landscape is evolving. While much of the industry's attention has focused on BEAD deployment funding, a growing number of opportunities are emerging around non-deployment funding, servicing defaulted locations, rural network upgrades, permitting reform, and future federal and state broadband investment programs. As governments seek to maximize the impact of public investment while ensuring long-term sustainability, operators, investors, contractors, and public sector stakeholders must understand how to position themselves for the next phase of funding opportunities. This interactive workshop will provide practical insights into the changing public funding landscape, the lessons being learned from current programs, and how organizations can prepare to capitalize on future opportunities.