CPUC Finalizes California’s BEAD Plan

The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously ratified California's billion-dollar BEAD broadband expansion plan at its voting meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026, authorizing staff to sign the state's award agreement with the Trump administration and begin drawing down federal funds for broadband employment projects. The plan also includes a measure imposing transparency, incident-reporting and outside-audit requirements on developers of advanced AI, which advocates in the state view warily given strings attached to accepting federal broadband money. Maryland-based Bloosurf separately told the FCC it had seen 2.5 GHz interference since 2020.

BEAD https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/bead/ CPUC Finalizes California’s BEAD Plan Advocates in the state are wary of strings attached to accepting federal broadband funds WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 – California regulators voted to finalize the state’s billion-dollar broadband expansion plan Thursday. Members of the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously ratified the plan at the agency’s voting meeting, giving staff the ability to sign California’s award agreement with the Trump administration and start drawing down money to support broadband employment projects. The agency is moving to put several additional frequencies into play. One measure would require transparency, incident-reporting and outside-audit requirements on developers advanced AI Any AI agreements might be superficial but a possible start to something larger. Maryland-based Bloosurf told the FCC it had seen 2.5 GHz interference since 2020. America250 / Telecom150 Be part of the broadband community. Breakfast Club access through December 31, 2026—at least three months—with no automatic renewal. Everything in Breakfast Club, plus an in-person seat for “250 Years of American Independence & 150 Years of American Telecommunications” on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Secure paid checkout is provided by HubSpot. Paid passes DO NOT renew automatically. Complete your secure one-time payment without leaving Broadband Breakfast.