Arizona is set to begin one of the largest infrastructure efforts in its history after receiving final approval from federal regulators for a sweeping $967 million plan to expand high-speed internet statewide. Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the milestone this week, calling the broadband investment essential to ensuring “opportunity for every Arizonan.”
The funding—part of the Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) Program—marks Arizona’s biggest broadband commitment to date and a central pillar of Hobbs’ ConnectAllAZ initiative, which aims to deliver reliable, affordable internet access to every household by 2030. The Arizona Commerce Authority submitted the state’s final proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in September; the NTIA’s sign-off now clears the way for implementation.
At the heart of the plan are 70 project zones covering roughly 160,000 homes and more than 1,200 community institutions that currently lack access to quality broadband. The buildout includes over 7,700 miles of new fiber and is expected to generate about 5,000 jobs. Of the nearly $1 billion investment, $447 million comes from federal dollars, with an additional $520 million provided by private partners.
State and tribal leaders across Arizona praised the approval, underscoring how expanded connectivity will support education, health care, public safety, and economic development—particularly in rural and tribal communities long underserved by existing infrastructure. Local officials from Pinal, Mohave, and Navajo counties also touted the funding as a catalyst for long-term growth.
The broadband roadmap reflects two years of outreach, during which the state held more than 365 engagement sessions and identified tens of thousands of previously unmapped households. That effort alone helped secure an additional $273 million for Arizona’s BEAD allocation. The state has also unveiled an online permitting tool, the Arizona Permit Finder, to streamline deployment for internet service providers.
Following the NTIA’s approval, the proposal now heads to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for final review. Construction on new broadband projects is expected to begin in early 2026.
Additional information about statewide broadband efforts is available at ConnectAllAZ.com.
