Today, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society published West Virginia's draft Final Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The plan envisioned connecting every unserved location with fast, reliable, affordable, fiber broadband service. But on March 28, Governor Patrick Morrisey (R-WV) withdrew the plan and initiated a process to revise it so that it incorporates “a broader range of technology options, including satellite and mobile wireless technologies.” The following statement may be attributed to Drew Garner, the Director of Policy Engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

“West Virginians spent over three years building their final BEAD plan. They deserve to know what’s in it. And what they’ll find exceeds anyone’s expectations: Their state was poised to bring affordable fiber internet—the gold standard internet technology—to every home and business that lacks broadband. A colossal achievement for a state that currently ranks last in internet access.

"The only problem is that West Virginia’s Governor has a different plan. Rather than fiber, he wants more satellite and wireless internet—technologies that are demonstrably slower, less reliable, more expensive, and extremely poorly suited to West Virginia’s mountains and forests. This will certainly make it harder for West Virginia to escape its position as the state with the worst internet service in the U.S.”

See What's Wrong With West Virginia's BEAD Proposal?

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
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