The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has criticized recent shifts in federal broadband funding policies, particularly under the BEAD initiative, highlighting the necessity of prioritizing fiber broadband over less reliable technologies like satellite Internet. They warn that the current approach veers towards technology-blindness, potentially leaving millions of Americans with inferior broadband services. Amid proposed policy changes, there are concerns that such moves may disproportionately favor providers like Starlink, while undermining the quality of broadband access for many users nationwide.
Fiber broadband is widely understood to be better than other Internet options-like Starlink's satellites-because it delivers significantly faster speeds, is more reliable due to its resistance to interference, has higher bandwidth capacity, and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds.
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society criticized what it called "Trump's BEAD meddling," saying it would "leave millions of Americans with broadband that is slower, less reliable, and more expensive."
No one knows exactly how much each Internet provider will receive, but a Wall Street Journal report this week said the new rules could help Starlink get nearly half of the available funding.
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