The Broadband Equity, Access, & Deployment (BEAD) program was created by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The BEAD program makes funding available to jurisdictions across the United States to deploy and upgrade broadband networks and facilities in un- and underserved regions.
Washington State will be receiving $1.2 billion across the state to deploy broadband fiber in un/underserved areas. In Clark County, un/underserved areas are generally located in the northern and eastern regions of the county. However, all residents are welcome to take the Washington State Broadband Office’s 1-minute Access and Speed Survey.
In May of 2023, Clark County participated in a statewide effort to survey communities about high-speed internet access. Data from this survey was combined and analyzed to verify the accuracy of the FCC’s broadband availability maps and identify how high-speed internet access in Clark County can be improved.
Between April 15 and May 14, 2024 individual residents are also welcome to review the Washington Broadband Map tool, which shows for each address in the county whether the location is served, underserved, or unserved by high speed (100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload) internet. If your information is not accurate, residents can take a speed test or report a service issue at that location.
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For any other questions or concerns, please contact Jordan Boege at jordan.boege@clark.wa.gov