Under Trump, satellites could steal fiber's BEAD bonanza

It's very likely that the incoming Trump administration will smile on satellite Internet companies such as SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper. And that could have serious implications for fiber vendors like Calix and Corning, as well as fiber network operators like AT&T, Brightspeed, Altice, Windstream and others. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is designed to funnel $42.45 billion through US states for broadband networks in rural areas. Although satellite and fixed wireless companies may be eligible for some of the funding, Biden administration rules likely would funnel the bulk of BEAD to fiber operators and their vendors. However, states have not yet begun issuing grants through the program, and a Trump administration may be able to affect the distribution of those state-level funds."If Trump wins, the BEAD program is likely to see a delay in spending (relative to a Harris win) and a reduction in expenditure for fiber (relative to a Harris win)," summarized Blair Levin, a policy adviser to New Street Research and a former high-level Federal Communications Commission official.