A major American plan to bring fast fiber internet to everyone, called the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, is now facing possible big changes. This could mean more government money goes to satellite internet services, like Elon Musk’s Starlink, instead of the planned fiber optic cables. The BEAD program has $42.5 billion to help connect homes across the US, especially in countryside areas where internet is often bad.

The US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, who was recently appointed, announced a “careful check” of the BEAD program. He said the plan was too “woke” and had “difficult rules.” Evan Feinman, the former main planner of BEAD who was made to leave his post in March, is worried. He says these changes could lead to slower, less dependable, and more costly internet for many Americans. Feinman also suggested this shift could mainly benefit private companies like Starlink.

Before this review, Feinman said three states were very close to connecting their first residents. Now, these efforts are on hold. The original BEAD plan focused on fiber internet because it is usually much faster and more reliable than satellite. Feinman warns that changing the plan now to favor satellite could mean “millions of private capital is in the garbage” and people in rural areas might end up with worse internet.

Many state leaders from different political parties had supported the original fiber-focused plan and are concerned that major changes now will cause long delays and not deliver the best internet to people.

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