"Traditionally, sparsely populated areas have not received as much attention from fiber providers as those with greater populations because they simultaneously had less revenue potential and were more expensive to reach and serve. Satellite services can change that. Currently, it says that only 3% of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding awards are for Starlink and less than 1% are for Amazon Kuiper."
"The key negative it noted was that localized congestion can be a problem, as illustrated by a dramatic decline in download speeds in Nevada during last year's Burning Man festival. On the plus side of the equation is that spectrum reuse is increasing capacity, cost declines are enabling larger fleets, and coverage is broader. It adds, however, that the technology remains best suited to low-density areas."
LEO satellite broadband can address rural access challenges by serving sparsely populated areas where fiber is less economical. Only 3% of BEAD funding awards go to Starlink and less than 1% to Amazon Kuiper. Fiber continues to dominate overall connectivity deployments. Changes in BEAD guidelines increased viability of non-fiber options and prompted states to plan satellite as a complementary piece for areas where fiber or fixed wireless is too expensive or complex. LEO strengths include spectrum reuse, falling costs enabling larger fleets, and broader coverage. Localized congestion can degrade speeds, and the technology remains best suited to low-density areas that require proven reliability, compliance, and performance.
Read at Telecompetitor
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