Missouri Receives $814 Million Federal Approval for Broadband Expansion, Targeting Over 200,000 Locations

In a significant move to bridge the digital divide in Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe and the state's Department of Economic Development's Office of Broadband Development (OBD) confirmed receiving the green light for an $814 million broadband expansion plan. The approved proposal, which comes from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), aims to enhance high-speed internet access for over 200,000 locations that are currently underserved or entirely without service.

"High-speed internet is no longer a luxury—it’s essential infrastructure," Governor Kehoe said, expressing gratitude for the federal approval of the state's investment strategy. The funding is expected to bolster the economy, support rural areas, and generate new possibilities for Missouri's families and businesses. The milestones reached, according to the OBD, reflect an exhaustive collaborative effort across the state, a statement obtained by the Governor's office suggests.

The NTIA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, greenlit Missouri's Final Proposal under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program on Tuesday. The approval pushes Missouri into the next phase, allowing OBD to form agreements with selected internet service providers, who then have four years to fulfill their infrastructural obligations. The approved project types focus heavily on end-to-end fiber, with a small percentage allotted to technologies like low-earth orbit satellite, fixed wireless, and co-axial cable.

Despite the triumph, approximately 7,200 locations were dropped from eligibility, owing to their removal from the Federal Communication Commission’s National Broadband Map or changes in service provider plans reported during the state's challenge process. "We’re thrilled to have reached this significant point in the process of connecting all Missourians," BJ Tanksley, the Director of OBD told the Governor's office. Moreover, OBD emerged with an advantage, saving $900 million of Missouri's original $1.7 billion BEAD allocation, which they now aim to allocate strategically under NTIA's guidance.

To provide the public with a better understanding of the impact of these investments, a table of the number of locations awarded per provider has been published. Additionally, details on the final award for each eligible location will soon be accessible via Missouri's broadband mapping tool. The developments signify a leap toward enhancing state-wide connectivity and the overall digital economy in Missouri, objectives central to the Office of Broadband Development’s Connecting All Missourians initiative and the state's broad economic development efforts.