Overview

• The administration’s tech-neutral overhaul of the $42 billion BEAD program rescinded funding approvals for plans in states like Nevada, requiring them to submit new proposals under the revised rules.
• It removes the Biden-era preference for fiber-optic networks, opening the door to satellite, cable and fixed wireless providers such as Starlink.
• States are barred from requiring grant recipients to offer internet at specific low-income rate levels under the new guidelines.
• Broadband advocates warn the changes favor cheaper, less reliable infrastructure and will push back project timelines in rural America.
• Cable lobby group NCTA praised the revisions as a way to reduce regulatory costs, while Democrats and the Benton Institute have criticized the move for undermining long-term service quality.