U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly announced Wednesday that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Arizona’s final Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) proposal, clearing the way for the state to begin drawing down federal funds to expand high‑speed Internet to underserved communities.
Arizona’s State Broadband Office finalized a plan that would deliver fiber technology to 118,170 locations — more than 70% of the state — at an estimated deployment cost of $446,123,359. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Arizona was allocated $993,112,231 in BEAD funding.
“I'm glad to see that the NTIA approved Arizona's proposal for the BEAD program to expand broadband internet access to communities that need it most, like rural and Tribal areas,” Gallego said in a statement. He added, however, that recent changes made by the Trump administration to the BEAD program “illegal and arbitrary” and warned those revisions could prevent Arizona from using the full amount Congress set aside. Gallego said areas on the Hopi, White Mountain Apache and Yavapai‑Apache Nation may be left without service unless the administration reverses course and releases the state’s full funds.
“Every Arizonan, regardless of their zip code, deserves access to reliable, high‑speed Internet, and this final approval means many communities are one step closer to getting connected,” Kelly said. “But the job isn't done. The administration needs to make all of Arizona's broadband funding available, just as Congress intended.”
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs also praised the approval, saying the investment will help close the digital divide and spur economic opportunity across the state. “I'm grateful to the ACA and everyone who has played a role in advancing this critical project,” Hobbs said, referring to the Arizona Commerce Authority.
The NTIA approval enables Arizona to move forward with plans to deploy fiber in large parts of the state, including rural and Tribal areas. But Gallego and Kelly stressed that final outcomes for many communities will hinge on whether the administration restores the full BEAD allocation for Arizona as NTIA completes guidance on nondeployment issues.
