On behalf of the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB) and the Idaho Office of Broadband (IOB), please see a new update below.
Idaho BEAD Program
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Idaho’s Final Proposal on Friday, December 19, 2025.
The State’s Final Proposal then moved to the next level of review, conducted by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST approval and the issuance of the formal Notice of Award (NOA), along with updated Terms and Conditions, will trigger the 6-month shot-clock to get all subgrantee agreements completed and signed. The NOA is expected to be issued soon.
Drafts of the State’s BEAD Final Proposal, Provisional Subgrantees, Subgrantee Agreement and other associated materials, as submitted to NTIA on 9.25.25, are posted on Link Up Idaho and can be reviewed here. Since submission to NTIA, the IOB has gone through multiple rounds of curing and worked directly with the provisional subgrantees. Once NTIA and NIST approve the State’s Final Proposal, all documents and materials online will be updated.
The State looks forward to working with subgrantees to execute the Idaho BEAD Subgrantee Agreement, assist with permitting and educate partners on the State’s BEAD Monitoring & Compliance Standard Operating Procedures as those are the next significant steps in the BEAD Program.
Idaho Capital Projects Fund Program
Awarded $120M via ARPA in December 2023
18 projects/15 subgrantees statewide/connecting 30K+ homes & businesses Projects complete by December 31, 2026
Idaho Broadband Fund Program
Established in 2021 via HB127-2021. See §67-4760, Idaho Code.
- IIG/IRON: This project is constructing 198-miles of middle-mile fiber – working from the City of Star north and ending in Grangeville. This project has completed 22.8% of the build. The project is currently on schedule.
- Port of Lewiston: All engineering and preconstruction work is complete, with construction underway providing middle-mile fiber from Moscow to Grangeville. The project is currently on schedule.
Idaho Broadband Advisory Board
No meeting currently scheduled.
In accordance with HB299-2025, Idaho Senate Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon appointed Charlie Creason, formerly with Idaho Telcom Alliance (ITA) member Project Mutual Telephone (PMT), as a new non-voting member of IBAB. There is still one vacancy for a non-voting member to be appointed by Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle. Board member bios can be viewed here.
IBAB meeting materials can be viewed here.
Other News
The Idaho Legislative session began on Monday, January 12th.
Governor Little’s 2026 State of the State Address Idaho Legislature website
PUC Rulemaking per HB180-2025aaS
The pending rule that will be presented to the Idaho Legislature can be found here. The rule will go through the House State Affairs Committee.
Idaho Department of Commerce FY25 Annual Report
Members of the IOB Team attended the Boise Metro Chamber Annual Legislative Forum, which included an infrastructure panel featuring IBAB Vice-Chair Vander Woude; January 14th.
Staff from the IOB will speak on a panel hosted by the Idaho Cable Broadband Association; January 22nd. Stay informed, engaged and educated by monitoring Link Up Idaho.