Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband Deployment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State broadband officials tell House committee Virginia is 88% covered and BEAD funding will target 85,000 locations
Summary
At the Communications, Technology and Innovation Committee’s first 2026 meeting, state broadband officials said Virginia stands at about 88% broadband coverage, presented the State’s mapping and funding strategy, and said $545 million of a $1.48 billion BEAD allocation has been released to reach 85,000 locations while $800 million designated for non-deployment uses awaits federal guidance.
At the first 2026 meeting of the House Communications, Technology and Innovation Committee, state broadband officials told legislators Virginia has broadband access at roughly 88% of homes, businesses and community anchors and outlined how federal and state programs will be used to close remaining gaps.
Dr. Tamara Holmes, director of the Office of Broadband, said the Commonwealth has addressed about 406,000 locations through nearly a decade of investments and currently counts about 12% of locations as remaining unserved. "We stand at 88%," Holmes said, explaining that the Office administers three major programs: the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VADI), a Line Extension Customer Assistance Program and the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.
Why it matters: Virginia has combined state and federal dollars into a mapped, address-by-address approach, officials said, and the outcome determines which communities receive fiber, fixed wireless, satellite or other technologies. The state said it uses localized mapping (aggregated by ZIP code) and Virginia Tech geospatial work to choose technologies appropriate for terrain and tree canopy.
The federal BEAD allocation totals $1,480,000,000 to Virginia under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. According to the presentation, the Commonwealth has access to $545,000,000 of that money to fund 85,000 serviceable locations; officials said the contracts with awardees are under negotiation and many were executed in late 2025. Holmes called the BEAD award the next step to achieve "universal connectivity," with construction to start in 2026 and projects required to be completed by 2030.
Officials also described an $800,000,000 tranche that federal rules identify as "non-deployment" funds. Holmes said that $800 million remains in the state's treasury account for uses the federal government will later define. "The remaining $800,000,000 would be available for what is considered non deployment," Holmes said; she and Director Maggie Beal said eligible uses under prior federal notices included adoption, affordability and other programs but the state is waiting for current guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Members pressed presenters on how the money flows and on implementation risks. Delegate JJ Singh asked whether funding primarily goes to internet service providers or whether municipalities receive funds; Holmes said BEAD is structured as a Commonwealth-run competitive process that contracts directly with providers, while VADI partners with local governments. Delegate Alfonso Lopez pressed whether the state can achieve the claim of full coverage when federal rules have not yet defined allowable non-deployment uses; Holmes acknowledged uncertainty about the $800 million but said the state expects to submit a follow-up application to NTIA once guidance is issued.
Program details and clarifications presented to the committee included: the Line Extension Customer Assistance Program established by the General Assembly in 2022 that covers special construction costs to a household’s front door (the presentation said the program received about 1,500 applications; as of November 25, officials reported 503 homes constructed and roughly 85 remaining); and the state’s technology-neutral approach (the presentation said approximately 80% of BEAD-funded deployments will be fiber, 13% low-Earth orbit satellite, 6% cable and under 2% licensed fixed wireless).
Officials also noted mapping caveats: earlier federal satellite-derived maps had overcounted features that are not serviceable addresses (rocks, hay bales, abandoned structures), which reduced earlier BEAD estimates of 133,000 locations down to 85,000 serviceable locations.
Next steps: Dr. Holmes said BEAD contracts are being executed now and construction will start in 2026; completion is expected by 2030. She said the state will await NTIA guidance on the $800 million in non-deployment funds before allocating that money to adoption, affordability and in‑building or cellular programs, if those uses are permitted. "We will have to submit an application to NTIA once they issue that guidance to let us know what would be eligible," she said.
The committee thanked the presenters and moved on to the next agenda item.
