Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment: The Changing Landscape of BEAD

What is BEAD?

The Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2022, was launched with a bold goal: connect every household to high-speed internet. Backed by $42.45 billion in federal funding, BEAD was designed to empower states to build out broadband infrastructure in places the market had long ignored, especially rural, tribal, and underserved areas.

The original 2022 guidance prioritized end-to-end fiber connections and encouraged projects that centered community needs, including climate resilience, strong labor protections, affordable service offerings, and meaningful engagement with marginalized communities. The plan was for states to finalize proposals by the end of 2024 and begin deployments in 2025.

But that’s not what happened.

What Changed, and Why It Matters

In June 2025, the Trump Administration issued a Policy Notice editing BEAD’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), drastically rewriting its rules. The updated guidance stripped out nearly every non-statutory priority, eliminating climate requirements, labor standards, affordability goals, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics.

BEAD was made technology neutral, opening the door to satellite internet, low-Earth orbit (LEO) providers like Starlink, and fixed wireless, rather than prioritizing long-term investments in fiber. In perhaps the most significant change, states must now choose proposals that minimize BEAD program outlay (projects will now be awarded based solely on lowest cost per location), leaving the most unserved areas at risk of being deemed too costly next to areas with partial infrastructure.

As a result, states that had spent months and in some cases, years, building community-driven, equity-forward proposals had to go back to the drawing board. And while 41 of 56 Final Proposals have been submitted as of last week under the new requirements, Broadband Breakfast recently reported that states are collectively $20 billion under budget – nearly half of the program's total funding allocation. There is significant uncertainty around what will happen with the $20 billion in unused BEAD funds. Many states had hoped – and planned – to use that funding to advance digital equity and affordability efforts. However, the current Administration and BEAD rule changes have made that option seem increasingly unlikely. 

Why Does This Matter for the LGBTQ+ Community?

LGBTQ+ communities have long turned to the internet for support networks, health information, and safe spaces to connect. For rural community members in particular, who often face significant barriers to accessing physical LGBTQ+ spaces and resources, funding like BEAD could be the key to getting online and staying connected. By making these large-scale investments in broadband infrastructure across the United States, the LGBTQ+ community benefits from:

• Access to medical services that otherwise may be out of reach. As found in our 2025 research report ctrl + alt + lgbt, 87% of LGBTQ+ adults search for health information online, and 81% of transgender adults reported using telehealth services. By ensuring that all corners of our country are connected to the internet, BEAD could ensure that all people who may benefit from these healthcare services can access them.
  

• For many LGBTQ+ people, the internet is where they first see themselves reflected, find the language to describe their experiences, and learn they're not alone. According to our research, 76% of LGBTQ+ adults (and 94% of transgender adults) say the internet helped them understand their identity. Over 90% of transgender adults reported using the internet for connection, community,  and resources. By expanding broadband access, BEAD would open this pathway to self-understanding for people in every community.
  

• LGBTQ+ people depend on the internet as a tool for education and professional development. Nearly three-quarters of LGBTQ+ adults reported using the internet for education and skill development, while 62% reported using the internet to find inclusive job opportunities online. By providing unserved or underserved communities with broadband access, programs like BEAD can open up these opportunities to members of the LGBTQ+ community who otherwise would be unable to access them. 

So What Comes Next with BEAD?

What was once a 2025 infrastructure rollout is now, realistically, a 2026 conversation. But the underlying problem, the digital divide, hasn’t gone anywhere. When federal overhauls push back timetables and obfuscate how funds can be allocated, the need for affordable broadband access doesn’t vanish; people who still struggle to access broadband know that they can’t afford to wait. 

At a time when attacks against the LGBTQ+ community are intensifying, ensuring universal broadband access is critical to giving every LGBTQ+ person the tools they need to not just survive, but thrive.