Nebraska Broadband Office reports large declines in unserved and underserved locations, details rollout plans and concerns

The Nebraska Broadband Office told the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee that the state has made substantial progress toward closing broadband gaps, with staff reporting that locations classified as "underserved" have fallen by approximately 60% and "unserved" locations by roughly 75% since the previous inventory.

Director Haggerty of the Nebraska Broadband Office presented the 2024 annual report and credited a mix of private investment, state programs and federal funding for the progress. "Underserved by approximately 60% and unserved by approximately 75," Haggerty told the committee, and he said the office’s outreach effort included a 12‑community circuit focused on FEED funding and a total of 201 engagements this year, including 189 unique outreach interactions.

Senators pressed Haggerty for raw counts behind the percentages. Haggerty said when he was appointed in July 2023 the office was managing an inventory of about 111,000 unserved or underserved living locations; the final inventory he cited would be "just under 30,000," a net change he described as a delta of roughly 80,000 locations. He added the office currently lists about 72,000 locations as unserved or underserved and said roughly 40,000 of those are "behind an enforceable commitment"—awards or funding commitments to providers that have not yet been built out.

The director described the BEED deployment prescription the office will follow: build fiber where practical first, then licensed fixed wireless, DSL or coax where appropriate, and use third‑tier technologies such as low‑bit satellites or unlicensed fixed wireless only when other options are exhausted. He said satellite and other bidders will be required to meet the same speed and performance expectations as wireline providers if selected under BEED grant awards.

Senators raised concerns about reliability in remote, weather‑impacted areas. "When there's a storm coming in my area, I have no connectivity," said Senator Barry DeKay, explaining why some rural residents prefer fiber. Haggerty acknowledged the limitations of some satellite services in adverse weather but said the program’s quality controls require bidders to demonstrate speeds and latency and that only a small percentage of locations are likely to be served by lower‑bit satellite.

Committee members asked whether the federal award amount would be sufficient. Committee members referenced the approximately $405 million (also cited as $408 million in committee remarks) in federal BEED funding available to Nebraska; Haggerty said the office believes that sum will fund deployment to the state’s unserved and underserved locations as defined in the approved inventory but cautioned that the office is still pre‑application and final selections, costs and exact allocations will be determined through the grant process.

Smaller local providers also flagged the application burden. Senator Tom Brandt said many smaller cooperatives and independent phone companies regard BEED as difficult to apply for. Haggerty agreed the paperwork and reporting are significant, and described program design choices intended to promote in‑state participation—such as defining project areas to be under $5 million apiece to avoid certain Davis‑Bacon complexities—and said the office is aiming to be an easy partner while acknowledging legitimate provider concerns.

On program monitoring, Haggerty said the office will assess applicants’ risk, monitor awards and use quarterly reimbursements based on actual cost; he added some programs do not contain explicit penalty provisions but that the office can "call back" and redistribute funds if necessary.

The director also noted Nebraska’s award under the NTIA state digital equity capacity grant program—roughly $6.5 million committed to the state—and said the office expects to open a grant round next year for entities (likely nonprofits) to apply for digital‑navigator and telehealth projects aimed at eight defined populations, including seniors and rural communities. Haggerty said additional tranches totaling $2.5 million each have been appropriated but that future disbursements are not guaranteed.

Looking at what has worked, Haggerty singled out the federal enhanced ACAM program and strong private investment. He said 13 of 18 eligible Nebraska companies accepted enhanced ACAM, which he credited with substantial acreage of progress in otherwise costly areas.

The committee closed with questions about long‑term maintenance and funding for upkeep; Haggerty pointed to an open docket at the Public Service Commission examining those issues and agreed maintenance costs will be an ongoing policy concern. The hearing adjourned with no formal votes or motions taken.