The Latest Updates on Colorado’s BEAD Program Funding
Colorado just crossed an important milestone in closing the digital divide. With Colorado’s BEAD Final Proposal now approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the state can unlock $420.6 million in federal broadband funding to reach more than 96,000 Coloradans who still lack reliable high-speed internet.
Pulse is one of Larimer County’s BEAD grantees, working alongside the County and Fort Collins Connexion to reach rural pockets that have been left waiting. In this post, we’ll unpack what these latest BEAD updates mean, how the “Benefit of the Bargain” round fits in, and why all of this matters for you and your neighbors in Northern Colorado.
A Quick Refresher: What is BEAD and “Benefit of the Bargain”?
What is BEAD, in plain language?
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is a federal effort in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help states finish the job of bringing high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas. Colorado is slated to receive $826.5 million through BEAD, administered by the Colorado Broadband Office’s Advance Colorado Broadband grant program, to support planning, construction, and adoption so more communities can get a modern connection.
What is the “Benefit of the Bargain” round?
After NTIA issued new guidance, every state had to run a Benefit of the Bargain round and re-evaluate proposed BEAD projects. In Colorado, that window ran from July 7 to July 21, 2025, and applicants requested $743 million in BEAD funds plus $370 million in matching dollars.
Statewide news: Colorado’s Final Proposal approval and $420.6 million in funding
On December 2, 2025, Colorado’s BEAD Final Proposal cleared a major hurdle: NTIA formally approved the plan, unlocking $420.6 million in federal broadband funding for the state. That decision means high-speed internet is now on the way for more than 96,000 Coloradans, many of them in rural or otherwise hard-to-serve areas.
The Colorado Broadband Office plans to deploy this funding across the state using a mix of technologies, including fiber, fixed wireless, and low-Earth-orbit satellite, depending on terrain and cost.
For communities like ours in Northern Colorado, that statewide green light is the moment when years of mapping, feasibility studies, and public meetings start to translate into construction schedules and, eventually, working connections at your address.
Looking Ahead: Moving Closer to “Everyone Connected” in Northern Colorado
Colorado’s BEAD approval is a real step toward making high-speed internet a basic part of community life instead of a luxury or a patchwork.
There’s still paperwork to finish, construction to schedule, and plenty of coordination ahead, but the direction is clear: more of your neighbors in rural Larimer County will ultimately have a realistic path to a modern connection. As those plans firm up, we’ll keep working with the County to share timelines, project maps, and next steps so you can see when your corner of Northern Colorado is on deck.
