On Oct. 8, Louisiana broke ground on a new fiber internet project in East Baton Rouge Parish paid for by the federal government's main rural broadband program, Broadband Breakfast reported. It's a visible step in a plan that has been years in the making and still has a big open question: what happens to more than half the money.
The numbers, as of Oct. 9
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana's BEAD allocation | $1.355 billion | Office of the Governor; ConnectLA |
| Federal approval of the final plan | Nov. 18, 2025, the first state approved | Office of the Governor |
| Locations to be connected | About 130,000 (state); 127,108 (NTIA) | Office of the Governor; Light Reading |
| Internet providers taking part | 14, with nearly 70% of awards to Louisiana-based companies | Office of the Governor |
| Money committed to construction | $498.7 million | Light Reading, Sept. 4, 2026 |
| Money not committed to construction | About $856 million (our math: $1.355B minus $498.7M) | GeauxTech calculation |
The state's goal is service for every location that needs it by 2028, "if not sooner," ConnectLA says.
What technology is being used
About 81% of locations will get fiber, according to federal figures reported by Light Reading. The rest is split among low-Earth orbit satellite (8.4%), licensed fixed wireless (5.9%), which sends a signal from a tower to an antenna at the home, and hybrid fiber-coax (5.1%), the cable-TV-style network many cable companies use.
Who's building first
The first phase covers about 15,000 locations in 23 parishes, with construction targeted to finish by the end of March 2027, Light Reading reported. The providers listed for that phase:
| Provider | Locations | Parishes |
|---|---|---|
| Swyft Fiber | 5,830 | Jefferson Davis, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas |
| REV | 2,434 | East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. John the Baptist |
| Cajun Broadband | 2,221 | Iberia, Plaquemines, Vermilion |
| Nextlink Internet | 2,041 | Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Natchitoches, Webster |
| Pelican Broadband | 977 | Red River |
| Skyrider Communications | 704 | Caldwell, Jackson |
| Star Communications | 302 | Avoyelles, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge |
Source: Light Reading, Sept. 4, 2026. These add up to about 14,500 locations.
The $856 million question
Louisiana is building its network for far less than its full allocation. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said the state "saved more than $800 million," ConnectLA notes. How that remaining money can be used depends on federal rules, and it has become tied to a separate debate over artificial intelligence.
A December 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department to restrict BEAD money for states whose AI laws it considers "onerous," Broadband Breakfast reported. During this year's legislative session, several Louisiana AI bills were dropped after lawmakers said administration officials warned they could cost the state broadband money. "Our rural parishes need broadband, and I'm not going to do anything to hurt that," said Rep. Vincent Cox, who withdrew two AI bills. (See our explainer on Louisiana's AI laws.)
Asked on Oct. 8 whether the threat shaped his own decisions on AI bills, Gov. Jeff Landry said, "No no no, not at all," adding, "When the president speaks, you certainly want to take that under consideration," WAFB reported.
What the state says it will bring
The governor's office projects 8,000 to 10,000 new jobs and $2 billion to $3 billion in revenue for Louisiana businesses. Those are state projections; we'll track actual construction against them.
How to check your address
ConnectLA's BEAD page includes a map of eligible locations. If you think your home is missing or misclassified, that page is the place to start.
Verify it yourself
Is your home on the BEAD map, or missing from it? Tell us and we'll ask ConnectLA. Send us a note.
Sources
- Broadband Breakfast: Louisiana breaks ground on BEAD-funded fiber build (Oct. 8, 2026) (subscription)
- Office of the Governor: Louisiana becomes first state approved for $1.36 billion in federal broadband funding (Nov. 18, 2025) (primary source)
- ConnectLA: BEAD / GUMBO 2.0 (primary source)
- Light Reading: Louisiana targets 15K BEAD locations by early 2027 (Sept. 4, 2026)
- Broadband Breakfast: Louisiana AI bills halted after White House threatens BEAD funding (April 1, 2026)
- WAFB: State AI regulation bills stalled after Trump funding threat (Oct. 8, 2026)