Inland Cellular LLC, with awards totaling almost $332 million, was by far the biggest grant winner in Washington’s Final Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Northwest Open Access Network was second, with almost $130.6 million.
The comment period on the awards began today and will end at 5 p.m. Pacific time on September 1.
Inland Cellular provides fixed wireless access (FWA) internet service through its Emerge Technologies brand. The press release issued by Washington about its provisional awards listed the percentage of the total BEAD investment by technology type: 48.1% fiber, 38.6% licensed terrestrial fixed wireless, 8.3% licensed by-rule terrestrial fixed wireless, 6.2% non-geostationary satellite, and 0.6% unlicensed terrestrial fixed wireless.
“This proposal is a blueprint for closing the digital divide in Washington,” Washington State Department of Commerce’s Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn said in a press release about the provisional BEAD awards.
“Every household and business, no matter where they are, should have access to high-speed internet. That access opens the door to economic opportunity, education, and health care. Upgrading broadband speeds will create real change and new opportunities for communities across the state.”
The full list of provisional BEAD award winners in Washington:
- Amazon Kuiper Commercial Services LLC: $9,271,171
- Astound Networks Washington, LLC: $3,561,219
- Benton County Commissioner’s Office: $5,566,336
- BROADLINC (Spokane Regional Development Authority): $66,830,287
- Comcast Cable Communications Management: $14,533,726
- Concept Communications, LLC: $25,578,921
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation: $25,780,557
- County of Kittitas: $24,681,257
- Declaration Network Group, Inc.: $23,706,090
- Evergreen Washington Connect, LLC: $14,792,304
- Hood Canal Telephone Co., Inc.: $56,000
- Inland Cellular LLC: $331,980,599
- Island Network, LLC: $16,275,497
- King County OIRM: $20,795,646
- Lummi Indian Business Council: $857,896
- Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation: $3,330,258
- Northwest Open Access Network: $130,580,883
- Port of Bellingham: $13,907,771
- Public Utility District #1 of Jefferson County: $4,788,986
- Public Utility District #1 of Kitsap County: $14,982,410
- Public Utility District #1 of Lewis County: $26,602,348
- Public Utility District #1 of Pend Oreille County: $12,405,351
- Quinault Indian Nation: $3,188,248
- Space Exploration Technologies Corp (Starlink): $43,365,739
- Spokane Tribes of the Spokane Reservation: $997,083
- Tri County Economic Development Dist: $9,449,150
- Ziply Fiber Northwest LLC: $2,028,839
The pace of award announcements seems to be accelerating. Recently, announcements were made by Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.
Additional information about broadband in Washington, including links to state funding resources, BEAD news, awards made, state-specific Telecompetitor coverage, and more can be found on the Broadband Nation webpage for the state.
Please note: Originally, this post mistakenly referred to Inland Cellular as Island Cellular. Apologies for the mistake.
