Is satellite broadband good enough to deliver internet for all?

Is satellite broadband a reliable method of closing the digital divide? If you were to consult the BEAD program’s rules, the answer would be no. But Donald Trump’s second term could flip that equation if the new administration determines fiber is no longer the preferred technology. Elon Musk, who owns satellite broadband service Starlink, was just appointed by Trump to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second administration. And Musk has a strong incentive to push for changes to BEAD policy, as New Street Research’s Blair Levin has said. States that have enough funding to reach all or most of their unserved locations with fiber are unlikely to make significant changes to their BEAD plans, said Bryan Darr, VP of Smart Communities at Ookla. But some, especially states out west with large areas of low population density, are already including wireless and satellite in their deployment plans.