The official website of the State of Mississippi

Visit the BEAD Challenge Map or Internet Speed Test by clicking here!

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD)

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program requires each state to submit a five-year plan and an Initial Proposal that is broken up into Volume 1 and Volume 2 which shares information regarding preparations for BEAD funding. The BEAD NOFO details the information to be provided, including but not limited to, the structure and activities of the state broadband office (BEAM), current and projected funding sources, data collection strategies, partnerships, alignment with other state agencies, stakeholder engagement strategies, identification of barriers and obstacles to service, key implementation strategies, expected costs, and a timeline for universal service.

BEAD Letter of Intent

Below is an initial guide for internet service providers to use as they prepare to submit letters of intent for the BEAD program. Please note that this guide is subject to updates and revisions as listed on the second page of the document. This site will be updated accordingly and each version will note the publication date. The Letter of Intent acceptance period will be open from November 18 - December 6, 2024.

BEAD Administrative Rules

BEAM has filed Administrative Rules with the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office, and a copy is posted below. A public hearing on these rules will be held on October 10, 2024, at 10:30 am, at the Woolfolk State Office Building, Room 117 (501 N West St, Jackson, MS 39201). Written comments were accepted through October 14, 2024 in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. 25-43-3.104.

BEAD Challenge Process

The second phase of the Challenge Process (rebuttals) begans on September 18th. BEAM has extended the Rebuttal Phase, and this phase was extended until 11:59 pm on October 7, 2024. For more information on rebuttals click here.

BEAM hosted two sets of Office Hours for the Rebuttal Phase of the Challenge Process. See below for dates and times. Click HERE during the meeting times to be redirected to the meeting.

  • Thursday, September 26, 2024: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

  • Tuesday, October 1, 2024: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

The first phase of the Challenge Process began on August 1, 2024, and concluded on September 4, 2024. To allow time for 3rd party adjudicators to review the information submitted in the first phase, BEAM has updated the timeline for the remaining phases of the Challenge Process (updated on 9/6 and 9/11/2024).

BEAM is required to run a Challenge Process to update the current Mississippi broadband map to ensure all unserved and underserved locations are accurately represented before awarding any BEAD funding.

Information provided by individuals will be submitted by local governments, nonprofits, and providers as an official challenge. The June 20, 2024, recording of the resident challenge portal demonstration is available here. Residents who need to challenge their address may click here to visit the resident challenge site.

On July 25, 2024, BEAM hosted a webinar to demonstrate the eligible challenger portal (eligible challengers are internet service providers, local/tribal governments, and nonprofits). The recording of this webinar is available here.

For anyone having technical issues with the portal, please write to helpdesk@broadbandms.com for assistance.

A Challenge Rebuttal Webinar for eligible challengers was held on August 26 @ 11:30 am. The recording of this webinar is available here.

Weekly office hours will open to eligible challengers from 1:30-3:00 pm Central Time every Thursday, beginning 8/8/2024 and ending 8/29/2024 (extended to 9/4/2024). Click the link to join the Office Hours Teams Call.

A Resource Guide for eligible challengers (internet service providers, local/tribal governments, and nonprofits) is available below.

  • In the version posted on 7/25/2024, BEAM was made aware of formatting that made charts difficult to follow. A version of the same content with improved formatting is available here (7/26/2024).
  • July 25, 2024 version: here
  • July 12, 2024 version: here
  • Supplemental information regarding Community Anchor Institutions is available here. (7/26/2024)

More information about the Challenge Process is available in the Initial Proposal Volume 1 section of this page.

Mississippi's 5-year Plan

The 5-year plan includes strategies and variables that will necessarily change over the course of BEAD implementation. BEAM anticipates updating the plan as new information becomes available. The public comment period closed at 12:00 pm on September 25, 2023.

Mississippi's 5-year Plan as submitted to NTIA

The Initial Proposal Volume 1 includes a listing of unserved, underserved, community anchor institutions, and existing federal funding sources for broadband expansion and access in Mississippi. As required by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Volume 1 also provides details about Mississippi's plan to conduct a fair and transparent challenge process. Local units of government, non-profit organizations, and internet service providers are eligible to challenge whether a location is served or not. The 30-day public comment period is now closed after running from October 12 through November 13, 2023. 

Mississippi BEAD Draft Initial Proposal Volume 1 for Public Comment

Attachment A: Existing Broadband Funding Sources

Attachment B: unserved.csv  Unserved.csv (updated 7/17/2024) Unserved.csv (as of 7/31/2024)

Attachment C: underserved.csv  Underserved.csv (updated 7/17/2024) Underserved.csv (as of 7/31/2024)

Attachment D: cai.csv  CAI.csv (updated 7/17/2024) CAI.csv (as of 7/31/2024)

To visualize the unserved, underserved, and locations that already have dedicated federal funds a link to BEAM's BEAD Map is below:

BEAD Map

Volume 1 as submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

Volume 1 as approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Volume 1 including updated Planned Service Dates (7/25/2024)

Intake Summary as approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

The Draft Initial Proposal Volume 2 details the process and scoring that Mississippi will use in subgrantee selection, along with additional requirements and certifications contained in the federal BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity. The BEAD NOFO and Volume 2 guidance can be found at BroadbandUSA.gov. The period of public comment for Volume 2 was open from November 1, 2023,through December 1, 2023. BEAM has reviewed all comments and incorporated changes as appropriate prior to the submission of Mississippi’s final combined Initial Proposal.

Mississippi BEAD Draft Initial Proposal Volume 2 for Public Comment

Exhibit A:  Local Coordination Documentation Tracker

Exhibit B:  Letter to Chief Cyrus Ben

Exhibit C:  Report to NTIA on 5/9/23 meeting with Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Exhibit D:  Priority Broadband Projects Scoring Rubric

Exhibit E:  Other Last Mile Broadband Projects Scoring Rubric

Exhibit F:  Broadband Expansion and Accessibility Act of Mississippi

Volume 2 as submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

Volume 2 as approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Intake Summary as approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Scoring Rubric - Priority Broadband Projects (9/17/2024)

Scoring Rubric - Other Lastmile Broadband Deployment (9/17/2024)

550 High Street 

Sillers Building - 18th Floor

Jackson, Mississippi 39201

601-359-5029