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# Nebraska Broadband Programs Target Nearly 28,000 Project Locations
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-nebraska-2026-09-30-a/
- Published: 2026-09-30T16:32:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-30T16:32:48.000Z
- Description: Nebraska’s latest telecommunications report says two broadband grant programs target nearly 28,000 project locations as federal closeout nears and statewide Next Generation 911 moves into its next phase.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: Tech, Nebraska

Nebraska’s two major broadband grant efforts are expected to reach nearly 28,000 project locations, while the state’s next-generation 911 network now connects every local emergency call center, according to a [new annual telecommunications report](https://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Agencies/Public%5FService%5FCommission/268%5F20260929-144158.pdf?ref=theamericanquorum.com) filed by the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

The report, filed with lawmakers on Sept. 29 and dated Sept. 30, says Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program projects represent nearly 18,000 unserved or underserved locations. A separate set of Capital Projects Fund awards is expected to connect nearly 10,000 locations. The commission said construction is progressing, but the federal Capital Projects Fund is scheduled to “substantially end” by the close of 2026, making completion and closeout work an immediate administrative priority.

The distinction matters for residents waiting on service. The Broadband Bridge program is a state matching-grant structure rather than a direct-to-household benefit. Under the commission’s [program guide](https://psc.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/2023%20NBBP%20Program%20Guide%5FRevised.pdf?ref=theamericanquorum.com), awards can cover up to half of eligible development costs outside high-cost areas and as much as 75% inside them, with a $5 million cap for one project. Political subdivisions and tribal governments must apply through a public-private partnership with a broadband provider. Nebraska law states that the program is intended to receive [$20 million annually from the General Fund](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/display%5Fhtml.php?begin%5Fsection=86-1301&end%5Fsection=86-1310&ref=theamericanquorum.com), subject to legislative appropriations.

The commission also reported that Nebraska Universal Service Fund support has brought fiber-capable networks to about 24,000 previously unserved Nebraskans since 2019\. That is a count of people, not premises, so it should not be added to the grant-program location totals. The report says the fund’s balance remains elevated, but a large share is already obligated and the balance has been declining. The commission has opened a high-cost reform proceeding to consider how the fund should support networks after construction, an increasingly important question as one-time capital grants wind down.

Emergency communications are further along. All 68 public safety answering points and two Nebraska State Patrol communications centers are connected to the statewide Next Generation 911 network, covering the state’s population and geography, the commission said. The system currently carries voice calls and text messages, while the ability to receive photographs and video is still being introduced. The commission’s [State 911 overview](https://psc.nebraska.gov/state-911?ref=theamericanquorum.com) says the internet-protocol network is designed to improve call routing, location accuracy and system resilience.

The statewide connection also meets a statutory milestone. [Nebraska Revised Statute 86-1068](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=86-1068&ref=theamericanquorum.com) required originating providers and the state’s NG911 contractor, with limited exceptions, to transmit and route all 911 calls into the next-generation network by Jan. 1, 2026\. The remaining work is therefore less about extending basic network reach and more about building out multimedia capabilities, maintaining accurate geographic data and sustaining the network.

For policymakers, the report presents a transition year: Nebraska has broad project pipelines and statewide emergency-network coverage, but it is moving from awarding and connecting infrastructure toward finishing projects, verifying service and financing long-term operations. Residents can use the state’s [broadband maps](https://broadband.nebraska.gov/nebraska-broadband-maps/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) to examine coverage and grant areas, while local 911 centers remain the point of contact for local emergency-communications operations.