By Governor's Office
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) announced a major milestone in expanding high-speed internet access across rural America. The first Nebraska household has been connected through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, marking the first reported BEAD-funded connection in the nation.
On Thursday, Gov. Pillen was joined by Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Matt Larsen, CEO of Vistabeam, in Ogallala, the location of Nebraska’s first BEAD-funded household connection, to mark the milestone and highlight the impact of expanding high-speed broadband access across rural communities.
“While some might take it for granted, this connection changes everything for us,” said Deb Armknecht, whose household was connected through the BEAD program. “For the first time, we have reliable internet access at home. It’s going to help us run our farm and help our grandkids be able to do their homework. It’s going to mean a lot for our family.”
Through BEAD, Nebraska is investing federal funding to connect unserved and underserved locations, strengthen economic growth, support precision agriculture, enhance public safety and ensure every Nebraskan has access to reliable, affordable broadband.
“Congratulations to Nebraska on this impressive accomplishment and for demonstrating what an efficient, technology-neutral BEAD program can achieve,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth. “Thanks to the Trump Administration’s course correction of the BEAD program and Nebraska’s strong leadership and hard work, we are accelerating broadband availability and delivering on BEAD’s mission. Congratulations to Vistabeam, Governor Pillen, the Nebraska Broadband Office, Senator Fischer and Nebraska’s congressional delegation on this important milestone for the people of Nebraska.”
“This is a tremendous victory for Nebraska,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. “Reliable broadband is essential for daily life, from schoolwork and healthcare to running a business or managing a farm. With this connection, Nebraskans have proof of the progress brought forth by the Trump Administration's Benefit of the Bargain initiative. The Broadband Office is dedicated to delivering a practical and responsible network under BEAD that serve Nebraska’s needs today and for many years to come.”
Following full approval under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Inventive, doing business as Vistabeam Internet, connected a household near Ogallala at speeds exceeding 800 mbps download and 200 mbps upload. This exceeds the 100/20 minimum requirement of BEAD.
“This is what success looks like,” Larsen said. “BEAD was created to connect unserved and underserved people, and today we’re showing that with the right tools and a capable team, connection can happen in a matter of days.”
The connection builds on earlier progress, including Vistabeam being awarded three tower upgrades to expand service in rural areas. In total they were awarded $423,375 to serve 93 locations across the state.
"This is a major step forward for connectivity in Nebraska, and this is just the start," Deputy Director of the Broadband Office, Patrick Redmond said. "We appreciate all our partners that helped make this happen, and the support from Governor Pillen to make Nebraska a leader in this space. This milestone highlights our mission to expand broadband access statewide, and we look forward to continuing our momentum toward that goal."