Guam names tentative awardees for BEAD program

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

GTA TeleGuam, IT&E and Starlink are the provisional awardees of subgrants under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program, the Office of Infrastructure Policy and Development announced today.

“These awards represent an approximately $5 million investment into the island’s telecommunications infrastructure through the BEAD program to expand access to reliable, high-speed internet across the island,” according to the governor’s office, which oversees the infrastructure policy agency.

“These funds will support the deployment of buried fiber—the most reliable, future-proof technology—to connect 1,367 eligible unserved and underserved homes and 175 community anchor institutions  including schools, libraries, health facilities, and other essential community hubs,” the governor’s office said.

BEAD is a federal initiative under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that provides funding to states and territories to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.

According to the final draft submitted by infrastructure policy , Guam initially anticipated a significantly larger deployment investment. 

However, following the restructuring policy notice, the pool of eligible broadband serviceable locations was substantially reduced. 

In response, Guam adjusted its strategy to ensure compliance with federal guidance while still delivering meaningful last-mile deployment. 

“Approximately $4 million will now be invested  in BSLs and CAIs, while

 the remaining allocation will be directed toward hardening  and

 resilience projects that are critical to Guam’s unique disaster-prone and national defense environment,” the document states.

“This adjustment reflects prudent stewardship of funds and a commitment to maximizing the long-term impact of the BEAD program for our residents and the nation.”

The draft document stated that even though the number of eligible locations was reduced along the way, the program is still a success, because for  the 

first time, many of our community anchor institutions will finally be connected.

“Once that’s complete, we do expect to have funds left over.  Our goal is 

to retain as much of that funding as possible for projects that harden Guam’s infrastructure and increase opportunity,” the document states.

“That may mean burying power lines to core communication sites and reinforcing our middle mile with buried fiber. Those investments go beyond connectivity—they make Guam stronger, safer, and more resilient for both our community and the nation.”

“Today, we take a major step toward closing the digital gap in Guam,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “Reliable broadband is a necessity for education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. By choosing underground fiber, we are not only building resilience against storms but also strengthening national security.”