Four Ideas to Help BEAD Succeed

How can policymakers maximize the chances for the Broadband Equity, Accss and Deployment program to succeed? In my view, four adjustments would help:

1. Keep BEAD Focused on Broadband: The Biden-era BEAD framework attached a series of requirements that were not clearly rooted in the statute, such as labor and climate control measures. NTIA’s 2025 Restructuring Policy Notice eliminated these “extralegal labor, employment, and workforce development requirements.” But the Trump Administration risks repeating the same mistake in a different form. In December 2025, the Administration announced it would make states with “onerous AI laws” ineligible for BEAD non-deployment funds. While the growth of AI has generated a significant policy conversation, it is outside the bounds of the BEAD statute.
2. Provide LEO Satellite Support for Broadband Adoption, Not Deployment: Under the “Benefit of the Bargain” bidding program, states awarded over 20 percent of “deployment” funding to low-earth orbiting satellite services. This is illogical; the satellite companies are already deploying thousands of satellites without government funding. Providing these companies with “deployment” funding will not yield any additional satellites and could be considered a waste of funds. On the other hand, providing subsidies to cover the costs of satellite dish equipment and installation will help consumers afford to subscribe, which IS one of the BEAD program’s goals.
3. Do Not Make Sustainability Harder Than It Already Is: Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth said the National Telecommunications and Information Administration would require broadband awardees to certify that they would not “require or take additional federal subsidies—including operational subsidies—to complete or operate their BEAD projects.” That policy was later codified into Term 51 of the November 2025 BEAD General Terms and Conditions. NTIA justified the rule on default-prevention grounds, arguing that reliance on speculative future funding increases the risk that a project will fail. The concern is legitimate, but the flat prohibition on additional federal funding may overshoot.
4. Allow States to Use Non-Deployment Funds to Drive Adoption and Long-Term Viability: Finally, if NTIA wants BEAD-funded networks to last, it should pay closer attention to adoption. NTIA’s own BroadbandUSA homepage describes BEAD as a program supporting broadband “deployment, mapping, and adoption,” not deployment alone.

John Windhausen, Jr. is an independent broadband analyst.  He formerly served as Executive Director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and was a staff attorney in Congress and at the FCC.