Satellite internet won’t run our farms and factories: Why fiber remains the right priority for rural America

America is about to choose between broadband that’s good enough today, or infrastructure that can underpin the future of the U.S. economy. With the final rules out for the reformed Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, states have 90 days to rerun their broadband selection processes. One of the biggest changes is that fiber is no longer defined as the preferred technology. In its place is a “technology-neutral” approach that, at first sight, favors the cheapest bids, opening the door to alternative technologies, with low-earth orbit satellite (LEO) slated to be a big winner. Far from representing a prudent fiscal shift, we’ve argued that fiber’s resilience and long-term value make it a better investment for most communities. And when we look beyond residential access to consider broadband’s role in powering industry, innovation, and economic competitiveness, the limits of LEO become clearer still.

[Rian Wanstreet is the Assistant Programs and Operations Manager at Connect Humanity. Calum Cameron leads communications at Connect Humanity, advancing community-focused broadband through storytelling and digital strategy.]