We’re Trading Centuries of Internet Access for One More Mile of Fiber

As states begin deploying the $42.5 billion BEAD program to expand broadband access, there’s a growing risk that rigid federal rules will lead to wasteful fiber overbuilds—especially in areas where more cost-effective technologies like satellite or fixed wireless could do the job faster and cheaper. These inefficiencies could delay meaningful progress on closing the digital divide.

As Joe Kane writes in The Hill, the BEAD program’s insistence on fiber—even in hard-to-reach areas—diverts resources from more urgent needs: affordability, adoption, and digital skills. Without reforms, we risk building broadband networks that few can afford to use, all while leaving rural and underserved communities waiting years for service.

Read the op-ed.