IBO in the News
The IBO is committed to updating the public on broadband in Indiana. Here is a collection of publications from around the state and our office.
For media inquiries, reach out to the IBO's Communications Director
Devan Penn
317-502-7154
- 10/14 - Indiana gets opportunity to spend some leftover rural broadband funds
Free press Indiana: https://fpinews.org/rural/2026/10/14/indiana-broadband-internet-funding/
- 9/30 - Indiana awards more than $400 million for statewide broadband expansion
WOWO: https://wowo.com/indiana-awards-more-than-400-million-for-statewide-broadband-expansion/
Broadband Breakfast: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/indiana-to-spend-400-million-to-fund-new-bead-projects/
InkFree news: https://www.inkfreenews.com/2026/10/03/indiana-signs-bead-contracts-deploying-400-million-in-statewide-broadband/
The Republic News: https://www.therepublic.com/2026/10/01/indiana-awards-418m-for-broadband-projects-around-the-state/
IBJ:
Indiana awards $418M for broadband projects around the state
After a yearlong delay caused by federal rule changes, Indiana has signed contracts with 24 internet service providers to bring high-speed broadband service to 122,000 homes and businesses around the state.
Those contracts, with a total value of $418 million, are part of the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, or BEAD.
“It has been a long time coming, and Hoosiers in every corner of the state are excited and ready for the broadband service that this program will provide,” Indiana Chief Broadband Officer Megan Minor said in a written statement issued Wednesday morning.
Contract recipients are matching the BEAD awards with more than $300 million of their own funding, exceeding the 25% match that the program requires, the Indiana Broadband Office said.
The Indiana Broadband Office said it expects construction on some of the projects to begin as early as this fall, with construction on all projects completed by the end of 2030.
The Indiana Broadband Office has established an online tool, the Indiana Broadband Progress Hub, where residents can learn more about the BEAD-funded projects. The tool provides address-level details about where and when projects will happen, which provider will deliver them, and what the broadband upload and download speeds will be.
BEAD, funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, is designed to reimburse internet providers for up to 75% of the cost of extending broadband infrastructure to unserved or underserved locations. Advocates of the program say that by offering a subsidy, BEAD encourages providers to extend broadband service to rural areas that would not otherwise be economically feasible to serve.
The $418 million in contract awards represents less than half of the $868 million Indiana received under the BEAD program. The Indiana Broadband Office said it plans to make a second round of BEAD awards, though it doesn’t yet have a timeline for when that will happen.
Indiana had originally anticipated making awards as early as last fall, but in June 2025 the Trump administration issued new BEAD program rules with some significant changes that forced the state to restart the application process.
One of the significant rule changes involved the types of technology that states could consider when choosing which projects to fund.
Under the original rules, fiber-optic cable projects were given priority consideration. Other technologies such as satellite service or fixed wireless (internet access via towers rather than fiber networks) could be considered for a location only if no bids for fiber-based projects were received.
Under the revised rules, technology could be considered if it met specific speed, latency and reliability requirements. Bid scoring criteria favors the lowest-cost bidder.
- 9/24 - Indiana Connectivity Program’s 18th funding round to connect 28 homes
Benton Institute: https://www.benton.org/headlines/indiana-connectivity-program%E2%80%99s-18th-funding-round-connect-28-homes
Indiana105.com: https://www.indiana105.com/2026/09/24/28-indiana-homes-to-receive-over-133000-in-broadband-investment/
WBIW: https://www.wbiw.com/2026/09/23/28-indiana-homes-to-receive-133943-in-broadband-investment/
Johnson County Daily Journal: https://dailyjournal.net/2026/09/26/johnson-county-business-news-sept-26/
- 9/1 - Connecting from Way Downtown to the Small Town, Indiana SBO looks to cross the finish line
- 8/31- Musk's Starlink at center of shifting D.C. grant plan
- 8/26 - Mediacom preps fiber buildouts to unserved and underserved Indiana communities
- 8/14 - Paulding Putnam Welcomes State and Regional Leaders to Celebrate Historic Indiana Broadband Investment, Will Receive $13.1 million in BEAD funding
- 8/1 - The Broadband Edge
BizVoice Magazine: chrome-extension: https://www.bizvoicemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Feature-Broadband.pdf
- 7/22 - DCREMC Receives BEAD Funding
- 7/16 - Indiana’s largest broadband expansion will bring high-speed internet to 123,000 homes
Free Press Indiana: https://fpinews.org/rural/2026/07/16/rural-internet-expansion-indiana/
- 7/10 - ICP awards $250K in 17th round of broadband funding
Telecompetitor: https://www.telecompetitor.com/indiana-connectivity-program-awards-250k-in-17th-round-of-broadband-funding/
Benton Broadband: https://www.benton.org/headlines/indiana-connectivity-program-announces-broadband-funding-awards
WIMS Radio Valparaiso:https://wimsradio.com/2026/07/10/60-indiana-homes-and-3-businesses-receive-250749-broadband-investment/
KPC News Albion: https://www.kpcnews.com/news/article_a544f34d-2704-51a5-b75e-a511676b06dd.html
- 11/24 - Stephen Cox to leave top spot at Indiana Broadband Office
- 10/16 - 156 more Hoosier homes, businesses get broadband thanks to $654K investment
- 9/11- Newsmakers: Rural Broadband Update
- 7/11- New Federal rules upend rural broadband initiative
- 4/29 - Indiana Delivers Fiber at Low Cost in First BEAD Awards
Indiana’s preliminary Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment awards show that full-fiber broadband can be delivered at relatively low cost, with projects averaging about $3,700 per location. Read the story here.
- 4/9 - Meet Steve
The Indiana broadband office hasn’t had the luxury of ‘pacing itself’ as it was established less than two short years ago, in the summer of 2023. Prior to the office officially opening, Indiana leaned on consultants to get its 5-year plan to the NTIA in April of 2023. Read the full story here.
- 3/17 - Broadband internet coming to Posey County
- 3/7 - Good news on Broadband
- 3/4 - The Michael Jordan of Broadband: Meet the Indiana State Broadband Director
- 11/2024 - IBO Attends Digital Opportunity Roundtable in Michigan City
- 11/2024 - Indiana Receives $15 Million to Implement State Digital Equity Plan
- 10/2024 - IBO Attends Laptop Giveaway
- 7/2024 - WRTV interviews Chief Broadband Officer Steve Cox
- 7/2024 - NTIA approves Indiana's Initial Proposal Volume II
- 6/2024 - The IBO presented at the Hoosier Huddle with Governor Holcomb
- 5/2024 - The IBO spoke about Indiana's connection issues and how BEAD can help
- 4/2024 - Indiana’s Digital Equity Capacity Grant allocation announced by NTIA
- 3/2024 - The IBO was featured in Inside Indiana Business’ article on closing the broadband gap in the state
- 2/2024 - Broadband Administrator Steve Cox was a panelist at the Indiana Business Journal’s Technology Power Breakfast
Sign up to receive updates from the Indiana Broadband Office!
