How much BEAD money did Surf Air Wireless win?

$52.1 million in BEAD grants to serve 6,941 locations in Illinois, per the state award lists.

Where is Surf Air Wireless building with BEAD money?

Illinois: areas not broken out in the state file (6,941 locations).

When does Surf Air Wireless have to finish?

The latest estimated completion in the state files is November 29, 2030. BEAD gives winners four years from the subgrant to finish.

Does Surf Air Wireless hire subcontractors for BEAD work?

Wired BEAD builds are usually staffed through construction primes and subcontractors. Ask the provider's construction or vendor team, and list your crew with the states you cover so primes can find you.

Surf Air Wireless BEAD awards

Surf Air Wireless won $52.1 million in BEAD grants to serve 6,941 locations in Illinois, according to the state award lists below. These are wired builds, which means construction: placement, boring, splicing and drops.

Illinois

$52.1 million

Listed as Surf Air Wireless LLC · 6,941 locations · Fiber · provider match $17.4 million · est. completion November 29, 2030 · about 546 mi buried + 60 mi aerial fiber (state estimate)

Source: Illinois Office of Broadband (DCEO), BEAD Final Proposal data files (final version) (retrieved 2026-09-23)

BEAD grants

$52.1 million

Locations

6,941

Grant per location

$7,506

Fiber miles (est.)

546 buried · 60 aerial

Latest completion

November 29, 2030

What this build needs from crews

Underground, about 546 miles. Directional boring, plowing or trenching, conduit and handholes, then restoration. Locates come first on every foot (utility locating).
Aerial, about 60 miles. Make-ready, strand and lash, and pole attachments (aerial fiber), usually with traffic control on the road.
Splicing and drops. Every one of the 6,941 locations needs a drop and a splice at the end (fiber splicing).

How subs usually get on a BEAD build

Find out who is building. Providers often hand construction to a prime or an engineering and construction firm, and those firms hire the subs.
Get your paperwork ready before you call: certificate of insurance, W-9, safety program, and proof you can do the footage.
Ask what the state's BEAD rules mean for subs. Workforce, safety and reporting requirements vary by state and are often passed down.
Be findable. List your crew with the states and trades you cover, and watch fiber work on the board.

Other wired BEAD winners in Illinois

Wisper IspIL · $301.3 million Strategic ManagementIL · $234.1 million Silo CommunicationsIL · $48.4 million ComcastIL · $45.4 million Citizens Telecommunications Company of IllinoisIL · $17.6 million Gargoyle TechnologiesIL · $12.2 million Protek CommunicationsIL · $10.7 million Wabash Telephone CooperativeIL · $10.1 million

Want to build for Surf Air Wireless?

Providers and their primes staff these builds with subcontractors. List your crew with the states and trades you cover so they can find you. Free.

List your crew Fiber work on the board

Provisional awards can change as states finalize agreements. TrackOver isn't affiliated with Surf Air Wireless. All providers.