The Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) will mark its official anniversary on Sunday. Early in his administration, Governor Jim Pillen created the Office through issuance of an executive order. Then on May 26, 2023, he signed LB683 creating NBO in statute.
This first year has been one of significant achievements and impactful initiatives. With Nebraska receiving $405 million in Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding, the NBO’s primary mission is to ensure all Nebraskans have access to high-speed internet by 2029. This investment will transform lives across the state through access to public safety, telehealth, education, precision agriculture, and the global economy.
“Our first year has been primarily dedicated to preparation and planning – establishing a robust foundation for our initiatives,” said NBO Director Patrick Haggerty. “Throughout this period, the Office has engaged communities virtually and in-person across the state.”
Additionally, a series of critical federal milestones were successfully met along the way, including approval of NBO’s 5-Year Action Plan and Initial Proposal Volume 1. Volume 2 has been submitted and is pending approval. These documents create an outline of how the State will administer the program.
Another foundational piece was the creation of the Nebraska Broadband Availability Map, detailing the inventory of available internet services. “We’ve had a robust response to our process to verify the data on the map, with the help of several dozen local and tribal governments, non-profits, and internet providers who identified 50,000 locations for review. It’s a bit technical, but this process helps to ensure that the service people are receiving is accurately reflected on the map. With that information, we can be confident that this significant investment of $405 million is used in the most efficient way possible, and provides the greatest coverage possible,” said Haggerty.
“We’ve had a robust response to our process to verify the data on the map, with the help of several dozen local and tribal governments, non-profits, and internet providers who identified 50,000 locations for review. It’s a bit technical, but this process helps to ensure that the service people are receiving is accurately reflected on the map. With that information, we can be confident that this significant investment of $405 million is used in the most efficient way possible, and provides the greatest coverage possible,” said Haggerty.
Another crucial aspect of addressing Nebraska’s future broadband needs is NBO’s Digital Equity Plan. While BEAD creates broadband access for every Nebraskan, Digital Equity will help them apply it to their everyday lives. Together, the programs create a vision for access and use of high-quality broadband service across the state.
“Future efforts will focus on expanding broadband infrastructure, engaging with communities to address specific needs, and implementing the Digital Equity Plan to ensure everyone can benefit from enhanced connectivity,” said Haggerty. “This first year has been a great start.”
NBO’s Digital Equity Plan can be found at broadband.nebraska.gov/digital-equity.