Fiber Broadband Association CEO says Trump administration’s BEAD delay will disrupt state broadband plans
Having been staunch critics of the slow progress of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the new administration’s Department of Commerce move to delay it by 90 days should be no surprise.
In a new notice, the U.S. Department of Commerce said that it “is currently undertaking a detailed review of the BEAD program to remove unnecessary rules and mandates, improve efficiency, take a more technology-neutral approach, cut unnecessary red tape, and streamline deployment.”
While the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) agrees with the efforts to accelerate the BEAD program by making it more efficient, the delay could be detrimental.
“The Fiber Broadband Association supports the Trump administration’s efforts to accelerate the BEAD program by making it more effective and efficient,” said Gary Bolton, CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, in a prepared statement. “But this new 90-day delay, which jeopardizes deployment plans the states have spent years tailoring to individual communities, undermines that goal.”
He added that the move would put network investments into limbo; besides that, NTIA had not provided specific information on what changes they had planned.
“Delaying a program ready to deliver high-speed, reliable broadband slows progress for the communities BEAD was designed to help and has a chilling effect on additional private and public investments,” Bolton said. "The sooner BEAD funds are deployed, the sooner we can build the future-proof infrastructure American communities deserve.”
Emphasizing satellite broadband
Another potential red flag for states with BEAD money is the Commerce Department’s emphasis on being technology-neutral, which means it will likely change the rules to emphasize lower-cost satellite internet services.
The BEAD program was initially developed with a focus on fiber-based networks. The Commerce Department’s changes could mean that Elon Musk’s Starlink would have easier access to rural broadband funding.
As reported in a March Wall Street Journal article, Starlink is expected to receive as much as $20 billion in funding under Lutnick's new rules, up from the $4.1 billion it was slated to receive.
States in limbo
These new rules could put states’ broadband plans based on BEAD in limbo.
To date, all 50 states have had their initial BEAD proposals approved.
Delaware, Louisiana and Nevada are the only states to have submitted their final proposals for public comment.
Earlier this month, over 100 state lawmakers from 28 states sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick requesting that any changes to the BEAD program be optional rather than mandatory. Representatives emphasized mandatory changes could undo their BEAD plans and delay broadband deployment by a year or more.
“We are concerned that mandatory changes will undermine state authority over state programs (a central feature of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), undo our BEAD and DE plans, and delay broadband deployment by a year or more.
Brian Allenby, senior director with the Maine Connectivity Authority, told CNET that his state’s BEAD plans have been stuck in a holding pattern since Lutnick signaled changes to the broadband program.
"We're ready to go. The ISPs are ready to go. We're just waiting for that program guidance," Allenby said in the CNET article.
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Sean Buckley
Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategies of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report across their websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products.