North Carolina Launches $319M BEAD Initiative to Connect 93,000 Locations

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein officially launched statewide high-speed internet projects on April 23, 2026, funded by $319 million in federal BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) funds approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The initiative targets 93,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions across underserved North Carolina communities, with a completion target of 2030. North Carolina is among the first states to activate BEAD funding at this scale under the $42.5 billion national BEAD program, which was enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The deployment will prioritize unserved locations — areas without any broadband service meeting minimum 25/3 Mbps standards — followed by underserved locations below 100/20 Mbps. ISPs were selected via a competitive grant process evaluating technical capability, affordability commitments, and long-term sustainability.