"Texas' Benefit of the Bargain funding round saved $2 billion compared to allocations by the Biden administration, according to a press release from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) about the Texas proposal. The original funding had been $3.31 billion, but was finalized at $1.26 billion. This is about $5 billion less than the $6.4 billion BEAD applicants requested as of August of 2025. Builders will also contribute a match of nearly $600 million, according to information published by the NTIA."
"The savings came in two ways. First, the number of eligible locations changed between the original funding allocation and the final award proposal. Second, the NTIA changed the BEAD guidelines in June to require a technology-neutral approach, meaning many locations will be served by satellite internet or fixed wireless internet instead of fiber. Even without the rules that gave fiber a leg up, more than half of BEAD locations that received funding in Texas will get fiber."
Texas received final approval for $1.26 billion in federal BEAD funding, a $2 billion reduction from an earlier $3.31 billion allocation and roughly $5 billion less than applicant requests. Builders will match nearly $600 million and providers will contribute about $2,450 per location while federal average funding is $5,178 per location. The NTIA reduced eligible locations and adopted a technology-neutral approach, shifting many locations to LEO satellite and fixed wireless. Of 242,903 funded locations, 50.6% will receive fiber, 27.1% LEO satellite, and 22.3% fixed wireless. About 2,000 eligible locations remain unfunded.
Read at Telecompetitor
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