NTIA approves Illinois BEAD plan, completing approval of all 56 state and territory plans

Illinois became the last of 56 states and territories to receive Commerce Department approval of its BEAD final proposal on August 25, 2026. Illinois will spend $831 million of its original $1.04 billion allocation, with fiber locations cut to 97,000 and fixed wireless more than doubling to 33,600. NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth said the milestone advances Congress's goal of closing the digital divide.

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