The Mississippi Development Authority’s Business Entrepreneurship Assistance and Mentoring (BEAM) program will initiate the BEAD Challenge Process on August 1, 2024. This federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program aims to extend broadband access to all unserved and underserved addresses in Mississippi.

The BEAD Challenge Process is essential for accurately updating Mississippi’s broadband map to represent these locations. The current map, available at www.beam.ms.gov, will accept updates until July 17, 2024, after which it will be locked for the Challenge Process.

Individuals can submit information to identify unserved and underserved areas. Local governments, nonprofits, and providers will review and forward these submissions as official challenges to the existing map data.

The BEAM program supports local entrepreneurs and small business owners with services such as business planning, financial management, and marketing strategies. The upcoming BEAD Challenge Process is part of ongoing efforts to enhance infrastructure and support community development in Poplarville and statewide.