Fiber First—How Early BEAD Awards Reflect a Winning Strategy

As the BEAD or Bust webinar series continues to guide broadband leaders through the evolving BEAD landscape, early funding awards are beginning to validate the strategies we emphasized in our previous webinars; focus on scalable, fiber-rich infrastructure and align closely with NTIA’s evolving guidelines.

Early Movers: States Leading the Way

As the NTIA’s deadline for BEAD Final Proposal submission approaches, 35 of 56 states and territories have published their Final Proposal for public comment. The remaining 21 have either filed an extension request or been granted an extension of up to ~60 days. Across the board, the early trend is clear: roughly 85 percent of BEAD funding is going to fiber-based projects. While a handful of states are experimenting with non-fiber fixed wireless solutions, the overwhelming preference for fiber underscores both NTIA’s guidance and state priorities for future-proof, high-capacity infrastructure.
 

Specifically, winning applications have tended to:

• Prioritize multi-gigabit symmetric capabilities
• Demonstrate long-term scalability
• Align with operational efficiency

Why It Matters

Fiber isn’t just a technology choice—it’s a strategic advantage. While a few states have funded non-fiber fixed wireless projects, the majority of awards went to fiber because it provides the clearest path to compliance, scalability, and long-term impact.
 

Fiber networks simplify compliance with speed and latency benchmarks, reduce long-term operational costs, and enable advanced services like telehealth, smart agriculture, and remote learning.

Looking Ahead

As states move into execution, the emphasis shifts to building networks that deliver lasting value for communities. A fiber-first foundation enables providers to layer on solutions like Calix SmartHome™ and SmartTown®, which extend the broadband experience beyond basic connectivity. These services help new BEAD winners meet subscriber expectations for secure, managed home Wi-Fi while also empowering towns to offer community-wide connectivity that boosts economic development, supports public safety, and deepens provider-to-resident relationships—all while creating new revenue opportunities and reducing operational costs.
 

We’ll cover these topics in depth during our BEAD or Bust Webinar #3. But for now, the early results are clear: fiber strategies are winning BEAD dollars and setting the stage for transformative community impact.