Baton Rouge, LA - On November 18, 2024, Governor Jeff Landry announced Louisiana is the first state in the nation to award federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding through the state’s GUMBO 2.0 program. The state will deploy $1.355 billion in total through these awards to support broadband access throughout the state. GUMBO 2.0 will expand fiber optic connectivity to approximately 140,000 locations across the state, supporting 100,000 households, 35,000 small businesses and 4,000 community anchor institutions such as public safety locations, schools and hospitals. These broadband investments will drive significant economic growth for the state, creating 8,000 to 10,000 new jobs and $2 to $3 billion in new revenue for Louisiana companies. 

“Louisiana is driving broadband for the rest of the country and delivering concrete, tangible results,” said Governor Landry. “This historic investment in our state’s broadband infrastructure will transform communities across Louisiana, providing the connectivity our residents need to thrive in the modern economy. I want to thank the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity for their leadership in ensuring all Louisianians benefit from this great investment.” 

“Access to high-speed internet is essential for every small business owner, student, and worker, and Louisiana is taking the lead in addressing this need,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I'm proud to have played a key role in securing this funding and grateful to Governor Landry and our state’s swift action in putting $1.35 billion to work.” 

“This is a game-changing moment for Louisiana and will help ensure all our residents have access to high-speed, reliable internet,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02). “By rapidly deploying these funds, we’re creating new economic opportunities, improving educational outcomes, and enhancing the delivery of critical healthcare services for families in every corner of our state. When I championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these are the results I was excited about.” 

“Under Governor Landry’s leadership, Louisiana is tackling our digital divide head-on with both speed and precision as we cement our status as the national leader in broadband deployment,” said Veneeth Iyengar, ConnectLA executive director. “The impact of this funding will ripple across every corner of our state, with all Louisianians having access to reliable high-speed internet that transforms how we access healthcare, pursue education and participate in our economy.” 

As a result of the state’s highly efficient award process, Louisiana is also distributing over $500 million in GUMBO 2.0 non-deployment funds across state agencies, economic development organizations, academic institutions, healthcare associations and other organizations that will help address some of the state’s most pressing gaps in areas like education, workforce development, economic development, agriculture and healthcare. These investments, which include initiatives such as telehealth expansion and scaling digital K-12 programming, represent some of the most innovative uses of this funding in the country. 

The state’s Final Proposal is open for public comment from November 18th until Dec. 10, 2024. To submit a public comment, visit connect.la.gov/bead.