The United States under the administration of Donald Trump is decreasing the significance of fiber internet in the expansion project of the internet network known as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program valued at over $42.5 billion.
This change will result in non-fiber internet service providers receiving increased financial support, such as Elon Musk’s Starlink, which reports indicate could receive around $10-20 billion from this fund.
The BEAD project has been significantly altered since Trump came to power, with qualified member Ted Cruz leading the push to amend various aspects of the program, such as reducing the importance of fiber internet and removing conditions that required providers to offer broadband services at affordable prices to low-income individuals.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has also confirmed that the Trump administration will prioritize fiber as the sole focus of their policy.
Source: Ars Technica
TLDR: The Trump administration is devaluing fiber internet in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program worth over $42.5 billion, shifting focus to non-fiber internet providers like Starlink, while also streamlining regulations to diminish the importance of fiber and affordable broadband access for low-income individuals.
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