The Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is a part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment Bill and American Jobs Act’s initiative to help close the digital divide. The primary objective of the $45.45 billion BEAD program is to extend broadband service to all unserved and underserved locations in the U.S. and its territories. Some analysts predict that the BEAD program has insufficient funds to provide end-to-end fiber services to every unserved and underserved location in the U.S. As a consequence, policy makers will need to determine which locations are prioritized as these networks are developed.
Of the $45.45 billion funds available, Nevada is receiving $416 million to address inequities in broadband access in Nevada’s rural communities and among its vulnerable populations. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment in Nevada report, written by UNLV economics professor Brad Wimmer and released by The Lincy Institute, examines how Nevada can leverage these federal resources to maximize broadband access. Interactive maps depict the current status of counties in Nevada in relation to broadband adoption rates, share of unserved and underserved households, and number of households by Census tract.
Broadband Access and Adoption Rates
The maps below depict the share of unserved and underserved households in Nevada counties as of 2021. According to the National Broadband Map, 1.4 percent of households in Clark County and 7.2 percent of households in Washoe County do not have access to reliable (e.g.,100/20 Mbps (or 25/3 Mbps)) broadband service delivered using fiber, cable, a digital subscriber line technology, or a terrestrial wireless technology using licensed spectrum. In contrast, in many of the state’s rural and frontier counties the vast majority of households are unserved and underserved.
Also shown are 2021 broadband adoption rates in Nevada counties. Consistent with national patterns, these data suggest lower adoption rates in more rural counties. Households located in rural areas and Tribal communities may lack physical access to broadband networks because high average costs and small customer bases make the provision of wireline-based access (e.g., fiber, coaxial cable, and copper wires) unprofitable.
Number of Households by Census Tract
The image below maps the number of households in Nevada’s Census tracts using 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates data profiles. The data depicts how many households are unserved or underserved and where they live specifically within a county. According to ACS estimates, the total number of households without service in metropolitan markets exceeds the number of households without service in rural areas by more than eight to one.
