Trump Administration Delays Rural Broadband Program By 90 Days

Republicans haven’t passed up many opportunities to criticize the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program for its slow rollout over the past few years. And now they’re adding on another 90 days of delays. In a notice sent to state broadband offices today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) gave states a blanket 90-day extension to submit their final proposals for BEAD money. The reason given in the notice is to “improve efficiency, take a more technology-neutral approach, cut unnecessary red tape and streamline deployment.” “Technology-neutral” is the key phrase here. BEAD had been written to prioritize fiber networks, but is expected to shift its rules to favor satellite internet. Locating local internet providers The only satellite internet provider that would currently qualify is Elon Musk’s Starlink. “By all appearances, it is to shift money towards Starlink,” Drew Garner, director of policy at the Benton Institute for Broadba ... Read full article.