The goal of the Ohio BEAD Program is to bridge the digital divide and ensure universal access to high-speed broadband for all unserved and underserved areas. The program also seeks to promote affordable service options while enhancing public safety, healthcare access, and workforce development. According to Ohio and federal standards, high-speed broadband is defined as having a minimum of 100 megabits per second download and 20 megabits per second upload speeds. The program will be implemented through a competitive subgrantee application and selection process, focusing on last-mile broadband infrastructure projects that prioritize end-to-end fiber optics meeting standards for affordability to end-user, speed, latency, reliability, consistency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
