Billions to Connect Everyone to High-Speed Internet Could Still Fall Short

Under President Joe Biden, rural Americans could benefit from the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand fast, affordable internet access across the country by 2030. However, the lack of broadband infrastructure is particularly problematic in rural areas, where internet service is often unavailable or limited. Attempts to get broadband to everyone are not new: The federal government has already pumped billions into efforts that have had mixed results. Biden administration officials have said the BEAD program, coupled with other federal and state funding, would be enough to finally reach everyone who lacked high-speed internet access. However, some state officials and industry analysts remain wary and have raised concerns about whether the funds will achieve all of the administration’s goals. In part, that’s because of the sheer cost of deploying broadband infrastructure in rural and sparsely populated areas. It can be expensive to lay fiber-optic cable when homes are spread far apart and terrain challenges make it difficult to dig in the ground. Labor shortages could further drive up construction costs and delay projects. Director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) BEAD Program, Evan Feinman said federal officials were confident that the federal and state funds would be enough to cover every unserved and underserved location. Still, he said some projects could take as much as five years to complete, and he anticipated construction would not start until late 2024. And though most locations would receive fiber connections, Feinman expected others would be covered by fixed wireless or satellite technology.