Fiber Broadband Association Celebrates First BEAD Fiber Connections in Louisiana 

October 14, 2026 — The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) issued the following statement today on the first fiber connections delivered through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program:

“We congratulate Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, ConnectLA Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar, and their teams on reaching this monumental milestone. Louisiana is showing what is possible when states invest in infrastructure built to last, and these first connections mark the start of a new chapter for communities across the country.

“BEAD was established with a clear objective: to close the digital divide by expanding access to reliable, high-speed broadband in unserved and underserved communities. Today, that objective is becoming reality, and it is being built on fiber. Thanks to the coordination and hard work of our members, state broadband offices, and federal partners, families and businesses in Louisiana are now connected to the most reliable, future-proof broadband technology available.

“As deployment accelerates nationwide, millions more Americans across the country will gain access to the reliable connectivity needed to support education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and participation in an increasingly digital economy. These first connections are just the beginning of the lasting impact fiber infrastructure will have on communities nationwide. 

“FBA and our members have been proud to work alongside state and federal partners throughout this process. We look forward to continued progress as more projects move into construction, more networks come online, and more communities gain access to reliable fiber broadband.”