ZiTEL BEAD awards
ZiTEL won $134.7 million in BEAD grants to serve 48,936 locations in Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida, according to the state award lists below. These are wired builds, which means construction: placement, boring, splicing and drops.
Alabama
$41.9 million
Listed as ZITEL LLC · 14,522 locations · Fiber · provider match $52.7 million · est. completion February 1, 2030 · about 2,102 mi buried + 189 mi aerial fiber (state estimate)
Source: Alabama ADECA, BEAD Final Proposal data files (files updated 2026-04-28)
Virginia
$38.1 million
10,356 locations · Fiber · provider match $51.3 million · est. completion January 1, 2030
Carroll County (4521), Franklin County (1714), Bedford County (1569), Culpeper County (997), Grayson County (769), Rockbridge County (401), Augusta County (319), Roanoke County (63), Galax city (1), Patrick County (1), Roanoke city (1)
Source: Virginia DHCD Office of Broadband, Final Proposal data uploads (10.24.25) and Awards by Jurisdiction and ISP (data files dated 2025-10-24)
Kentucky
$22.3 million
10,160 locations · Fiber · provider match $18.3 million · est. completion January 15, 2030 · about 1,400 mi aerial fiber (state estimate)
Source: Kentucky Broadband Office, BEAD Final Proposal Exhibits A-C (approved) (NTIA approved 2026-01-07)
Tennessee
$18.0 million
6,731 locations · Fiber · provider match $44.5 million · est. completion September 30, 2029 · about 1,299 mi buried + 194 mi aerial fiber (state estimate)
Source: Tennessee ECD Broadband Office, BEAD Final Proposal data upload (approved) (NTIA approved 2026-02-02)
South Carolina
$8.1 million
Listed as ZITEL LLC · 4,235 locations · Fiber · provider match $14.3 million · est. completion December 1, 2027 · about 785 mi buried fiber (state estimate)
Source: SC Office of Regulatory Staff, BEAD Final Proposal data files (Final Proposal data 2025-09-30)
Florida
$6.3 million
2,932 locations · Fiber · provider match $5.0 million · est. completion January 1, 2028 · about 231 mi buried + 5 mi aerial fiber (state estimate)
Source: FloridaCommerce Office of Broadband, BEAD Final Proposal Attachments A-C (retrieved 2026-09-23)
BEAD grants
$134.7 million
Locations
48,936
Grant per location
$2,753
Fiber miles (est.)
4,417 buried · 1,788 aerial
Latest completion
February 1, 2030
What this build needs from crews
- Underground, about 4,417 miles. Directional boring, plowing or trenching, conduit and handholes, then restoration. Locates come first on every foot (utility locating).
- Aerial, about 1,788 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 48,936 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 the same states
Want to build for ZiTEL?
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.
Provisional awards can change as states finalize agreements. TrackOver isn't affiliated with ZiTEL. All providers.