Nextlink activates first BEAD-funded tower in the United States, connecting rural Louisiana

Hands typing on a laptop keyboard with a transparent overlay of network nodes and lines, blending into a modern city skyline, symbolizing digital connectivity and technology.

HUDSON OAKS, Texas & BOSSIER CITY, La. (May 13, 2026) — Nextlink Internet on May 1, 2026, activated the first tower in the nation funded by the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Located in southern Bienville Parish, the site delivers service to 104 BEAD locations in Bossier Parish — bringing gigabit-speed internet to homes and businesses across northwest Louisiana via fixed wireless infrastructure.

The activation marks the first time households have had service available through BEAD-funded broadband infrastructure anywhere in the United States — four and a half years after the $42.45 billion program was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021. It also makes Louisiana the first state to convert BEAD funding into live infrastructure, extending a string of national firsts claimed under the Landry administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce's restructured program.

The tower is part of an $18.5 million Louisiana BEAD subgrant to Nextlink that will deliver gigabit-class fixed wireless infrastructure to 7,460 unserved and underserved locations across Louisiana, awarded through ConnectLA's GUMBO 2.0 program. Nextlink is deploying Tarana ngFWA Gen 2 technology over 3.5 GHz CBRS spectrum — the same architecture the company has scaled to more than 350 live sectors nationwide, the largest G2 footprint in the world.

To see how broadband investments are connecting communities across Louisiana, visit connect.la.gov.

A Six-Month Sprint From Approval to Activation

Louisiana's path to the first BEAD activation has been the fastest in the country:

  • Nov. 7, 2025 — First state to receive NTIA Final Proposal approval under Benefit of the Bargain rules
  • Jan. 17, 2026 — First state to sign BEAD subgrant agreements with broadband providers
  • Feb. 18, 2026 — First state to disburse BEAD infrastructure dollars
  • April 30, 2026 — First state to clear federal NEPA approvals for BEAD construction
  • May 1, 2026 — First state with a live, in-service BEAD-funded tower

"Six months ago, BEAD was a federal program that had spent four years and not connected a single home," said Bill Baker, co-founder and CEO of Nextlink Internet. "Today, in Bossier Parish, that changes. Our deployment is proof that when Washington trusts technology and trusts the states, rural Americans get connected fast. We are honored to be the company that first turned BEAD from a promise into a working tower, and grateful to Gov. Landry, Administrator Roth, ConnectLA and the people of Bossier Parish for letting us be part of it."

"Louisiana said we would lead the nation, and today we did it again," said Gov. Jeff Landry. "The first BEAD-funded tower in America is on the air right here in Bienville Parish. I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Lutnick, Administrator Roth and our congressional delegation for the reforms that made this possible — and the team at Nextlink and ConnectLA for proving that federal dollars can move at the speed of Louisiana, not the speed of Washington. This is what a generational investment looks like when you focus on results."

"Just six months ago, I expressed that I couldn't wait to see shovels in the ground and broadband availability for every Louisianan," said Arielle Roth, assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and administrator of the NTIA. "Today, that vision is becoming a reality, with the first BEAD-funded connections in the state now live through a fixed wireless tower deployed under the Trump NTIA's Benefit of the Bargain reforms. Thanks to technology neutrality, real competition and skin in the game, the BEAD program is accelerating broadband buildout and delivering results. Congratulations to Nextlink, Gov. Landry, ConnectLA and the people of Bossier Parish on this exciting milestone."

"From the beginning, Louisiana has approached BEAD with a simple goal: get infrastructure built and get communities connected," said Veneeth Iyengar, executive director of ConnectLA. "Today's milestone shows what can happen when states are trusted to move quickly, providers are empowered to compete, and the focus stays on execution. In just a few months, Louisiana moved from federal approval to delivering live BEAD-funded service to rural households. That is a major milestone for our state — and an important example of how this program can deliver results for communities across the nation."

"The Benefit of the Bargain reforms made today possible," said Claude Aiken, chief strategy officer and chief legal officer of Nextlink Internet. "By treating technologies on equal footing and trusting state broadband offices to pick what works, NTIA opened the door for a fixed-wireless tower in northwest Louisiana to be the very first piece of BEAD infrastructure delivering gigabit service to rural households."

The Technology Behind the First

The Bossier Parish tower runs Tarana's ngFWA Gen 2 platform on 3.5 GHz CBRS spectrum, augmented with 6 GHz unlicensed spectrum. The site delivers gigabit-speed downstream throughput and is engineered for non-line-of-sight and fringe conditions that have historically limited fixed wireless in heavily wooded rural terrain.

Nextlink holds approximately 1,072 CBRS PALs across 491 counties in 11 states — the third-largest CBRS PAL holder in the United States. The company expects to bring more than 600 G2 sectors online by the end of 2026, covering more than 317,000 locations.

About Nextlink Internet

Nextlink Internet is a rural-focused provider of high-speed internet and phone services, having invested over $1 billion to close the digital divide across 12 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wyoming, Louisiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. As an active participant in public-private partnerships, Nextlink is working to rapidly connect homes, schools, libraries, and businesses in small communities across the Central United States. Nextlink operates over 2,600 active towers, holds the third-largest portfolio of CBRS Priority Access Licenses in the United States, serves more than 100,000 subscribers, and is the recipient of a $429.2 million Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) award from the FCC. For more information, visit nextlinkinternet.com.

About ConnectLA

The Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity (ConnectLA) leads the state’s efforts to expand high-speed internet access and close the digital divide. Housed within the Louisiana Division of Administration, ConnectLA works across federal, state and local partners to identify and implement strategies that ensure every resident can benefit from reliable broadband connectivity. For more information, visit connect.la.gov.