Broadband policy shift in the U.S. drops fiber priority, could funnel billions to Starlink

What just happened? The Trump administration has announced a significant shift in the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, eliminating the preference for fiber Internet infrastructure. This change is expected to redirect substantial funding towards non-fiber technologies, such as Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service, potentially allocating between $10 billion and $20 billion to such providers. This move marks a departure from the Biden administration's approach, which emphasized fiber-optic networks as the most future-proof and reliable option for broadband deployment. The BEAD program was authorized by Congress in November 2021, with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) developing rules under the Biden administration. These rules prioritized end-to-end fiber-optic architecture due to its ability to be easily upgraded by replacing equipment at the ends of fiber-optic facilities. This approach also supports the dep ... Read full article.