Nebraska BEAD: How $405 Million Missed the Mark

Nebraska’s BEAD proposal leaves most of its $405 million broadband allocation unspent — connecting only 1,300 rural homes while neighboring states surge ahead.

Nebraska’s Broadband Gamble

If there were a trophy for squandered opportunity, Nebraska might already have it on the shelf. The state’s new broadband plan — released by the Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) on September 3 — outlines how it will spend $405 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funds. Unfortunately, the plan reads less like a roadmap to digital inclusion and more like a blueprint for missed potential.

Rural advocates fought hard to secure these funds, exposing inflated coverage claims by major ISPs and identifying tens of thousands of unserved addresses. The BEAD program promised to bridge Nebraska’s broadband gap once and for all. Instead, the state’s proposal spends only $43 million, connecting fewer than 1,300 new locations to fiber — leaving more than $350 million untouched and likely headed back to Washington.

Fiber vs. Wireless: A Short-Term Fix for a Long-Term Problem

Fiber broadband remains the undisputed gold standard: weather-resilient, low-latency, and scalable for decades. It’s the backbone of rural education, telehealth, precision agriculture, and the modern digital economy.

Yet Nebraska’s plan leans on fixed wireless and satellite technologies. While these solutions have their place, they cannot match fiber’s reliability or future bandwidth potential. By prioritizing temporary coverage over long-term investment, the NBO risks locking rural Nebraskans into second-class connectivity — digital duct tape instead of digital infrastructure.

The Eligibility Crisis: “Trust Us” Isn’t a Broadband Map

The BEAD program’s strength lies in accurate data. Nebraska began with nearly 30,000 eligible broadband locations, but those numbers were quietly slashed after the NBO accepted unverified coverage claims from unlicensed wireless providers. Without documentation or proof, 7,500 addresses were reclassified as “served” — cutting the eligible pool by over 50%.

Other states held firm; Nebraska folded. The result is a drastically reduced map that leaves thousands of families and businesses stranded.

Misplaced Priorities: Satellites Over Schools

Equally troubling is how the NBO allocated what little funding it used. More than 700 community institutions — schools, libraries, clinics, and fire departments — were eligible for fiber connections. Only 54 made the final list.

Instead, the plan diverts $2.3 million to Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a satellite network still in early testing, and $2.5 million to SpaceX’s Starlink — which already operates in the state. Investing millions into orbital experiments instead of physical fiber on Nebraska soil sends a clear message: expedience over excellence.

Falling Behind the Neighbors

While Nebraska stalls, its neighbors are building.

• Iowa and Kansas — with similar geography — have committed to fiber for roughly half their eligible locations.
• Wyoming and Montana — with tougher terrain — are achieving two to three times Nebraska’s fiber output.
• North Dakota stands at 93% fiber coverage under BEAD.

Nebraska ranks dead last in fiber deployment — an outlier for all the wrong reasons.

Accountability and the Path Forward

The NBO’s shifting project lists, opaque revisions, and lack of public explanation have fueled frustration across Nebraska’s broadband community. Excuses about changing federal rules don’t justify forfeiting $350 million in infrastructure funding. Every other state faced the same rules — and most found ways to fight back.

This isn’t about technology preference. It’s about leadership — about whether Nebraska will build an economy on lasting connectivity or temporary patches. BEAD funding was never meant to be “use it or lose it.” It was meant to transform rural America’s future.

Nebraska still has a window to revise its final plan before submission. That opportunity should be used to restore fiber commitments, re-evaluate eligibility, and ensure no community is left behind because of bureaucratic inertia.

More on BEAD and Broadband

• More of our recent stories about BEAD and public broadband programs
• For up-to-date information on the $42 billion BEAD Program, check Brander Group’s BEAD funding progress dashboard
• Fiber vs. Satellite: Nebraska’s Rural Broadband Battle
• Indiana $340 Million BEAD Funds to Broadband Expansion
• Nebraska Broadband Office
• IPv4 Transfer Surge Continues Despite BEAD Setbacks