Washington State Department of Commerce

Whidbey Telephone Company in Island County received an additional $1,031,757 to expand reliable, high‑speed broadband access for unserved or underserved households and businesses. The Washington State Public Works Board awarded the funds after previously allocated Coronavirus Capital Project Fund dollars were returned from earlier projects.

Communities in Island, Kitsap, and Okanogan (WA) counties will receive a combined $5.1 million for four broadband projects to enhance online education, telehealth, public safety and local economic development opportunities, while extending reliable, high-speed broadband access to unserved or underserved households and businesses. The funding is from the Coronavirus Capital Project Fund and was awarded by the Washington State Public Works Board. Awards:

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved Washington’s final Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program proposal, clearing the way for the Washington State Broadband Office to begin awarding $736 million in federal funding and $112 million in state match funding to bring high-speed internet to every part of the state.

The Digital Equity Forum, which is supported by the Washington State Office of Equity and the Department of Commerce, released its Biennial Report. It outlines 23 recommendations to integrate digital equity into policies and procedures as a permanent component of public infrastructure, which will help bridge the digital divide.

Governor Bob Ferguson (D-WA) appointed Jordan Arnold to serve as director of the Washington State Broadband Office within the Department of Commerce. Jordan is a public policy professional with experience working in the Biden White House. Arnold’s first day on the job is Jan. 2, 2025.

The Washington State Broadband Office is releasing its Final Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. The public comment period runs until September 1, 2025 at 5 PM PDT. Comments can be filed via this link. The state has provisionally awarded

More than 500 applications from nearly 30 eligible entities came in for the Washington State Broadband Office’s hugely popular Benefit of the Bargain (BotB) Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) WSBO 25-03. Applications closed July 23. The team is reviewing applications to ensure they meet the program's requirements. Early data from the applications indicates strong interest in building broadband networks across the state to ensure everyone has access to high-speed internet. By the numbers:

The Washington State Broadband Office opened its Benefit of the Bargain Broadband Equity Access and Deployment funding application, with applications due by July 23. The BEAD program is open to cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, private companies, public or private utilities, public utility districts, and local and tribal governments.

Joseph Williams will lead the Washington State Broadband Office until a permanent director is appointed. Williams was previously Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness Information and Communications Technology sector lead. Williams steps in for Aaron Wheeler, who left the agency in June 2025. In his role as sector lead for Commerce, Williams worked closely with the state’s tech sector to both recruit new business and support those already here. Williams was also a tech policy advisor to former Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

After nearly a year and a half working as the director of the Washington State Broadband Office, Aaron Wheeler announced he will take on new challenges after June 27. Wheeler was appointed by Gov Jay Inslee in March 2024. Under his leadership, the office completed two rounds of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment applications. WSBO was about to open the third and final application round when new federal guidance was released, initiating a significant shift in the state’s BEAD process.