ALLO Fiber, a regional ISP based in Imperial, Nebraska, has laid off approximately 150 employees — around 9% of its workforce — across Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and Missouri due to financial strain and policy shifts in the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. CEO Brad Moline cited capital shortages and new BEAD requirements from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), issued on June 6, 2025, as key reasons. These changes shifted BEAD from a fiber-first approach to a technology-neutral model and forced states to restart the broadband grant bidding process, delaying funding and spooking investors. Despite adding 9,500 customers in Q1 2025, Moline said the company was not yet having a “great year.”
As infrastructure buildouts near completion, staffing needs have declined, prompting the layoffs and additional spending cuts, including reduced travel, lowered mobile reimbursements, and cancellation of free employee pay-TV service. Moline warned more actions may be necessary as the company works to finalize a major financing deal. ALLO’s investors include SDC Capital Partners and Nelnet.
Full article:
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2025/07/allo-fiber-blames-new-bead-requirements-for-layoffs/