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Trump Administration Imposed BEAD Changes Introduce Significant New Delays

An electronic sign on highway reads: "Expect Delays"
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Trump administration changes to the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program are poised to introduce years of potential new delays to the already slow-moving program, potentially undermining the program’s goal of bringing universal broadband access to mostly rural communities.

Worse, the looming changes would eliminate efforts to ensure taxpayer-funded broadband is affordable for low-income Americans, while driving billions in new subsidies to the world’s richest man and Trump mega donor Elon Musk.

Testifying this week before a Senate Appropriations Committee, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will "soon" issue a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that states will have 90 days to respond to.

The revisions will ensure that billionaire Elon Musk – and his capacity-constrained satellite broadband network Starlink – will receive significantly more taxpayer money. Such Low-Earth orbit satellite networks were slated to get some funds, but federal changes may result in them dominating grant funding, overruling the mix of technology states had originally preferred.

Other changes being implemented include elimination of provisions ensuring affordable access for low-income Americans.

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BEAD Falls Apart | Episode 115 of the Connect This! Show

Connect This! Show
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Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-hosts Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Broadband) and Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting), and special guest Josh Etheridge to talk about all the recent broadband news that's fit to print. Bountiful, Utah and Oakland, California announce newsworthy milestones to improve connectivity for households, but the big news is looming structural changes to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. And wouldn't you know it, but NTIA releases them just ten minutes into the live show. 

Join us live on June 7th at 2pm ET, or listen afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us at [email protected] with feedback and ideas for the show.

Subscribe to the show using this feed or find it on the Connect This! page, and watch on LinkedIn, on YouTube Live, on Facebook live, or below.

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BEAD in Limbo: How Federal Delay Is Shaking Up Louisiana's Broadband Future - Episode 649 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Josh Etheridge, Chief Strategic Officer of EPC—a broadband construction company based in Louisiana—about the real-world consequences of the federal government’s pause on BEAD funding. 

Josh breaks down how the delay has disrupted local businesses, sidelined workers, and stalled broadband expansion in some of the country’s most disconnected communities. 

From equipment sitting idle to families laid off, he lays out how uncertainty at the top is rippling down through the industry—and what’s at stake if BEAD doesn’t move forward soon.

This show is 36 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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The Hidden Cost: The Ripple Effects of Canceling the Digital Equity Act - Episode 647 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris speaks with Jade Piros de Carvalho about the cascading impact of the federal government’s decision to cancel the Digital Equity Act.

They discuss how this sudden move threatens not just digital inclusion programs, but the very foundation of state broadband offices—and by extension, the success of the $42.5 billion BEAD infrastructure program.

With broadband office funding models built on a delicate web of interconnected federal grants, Jade explains why pulling one thread puts everything at risk.

This show is 24 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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Digital Inclusion Leaders Brace for Impact

A uniformed veteran sits at desk talking to retirement services rep seated behind a desk
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Digital inclusion organizations are reeling after the Trump administration announced the Digital Equity Act grant programs, embedded in the bipartisan infrastructure law, was being cancelled months after federal grants had already been reviewed and awarded.

On Friday evening, President Trump announced via a Truth Social post that he was cancelling the Digital Equity Act, claiming it to be “unconstitutional” and “racist,” and, therefore, “ending this immediately.” Yesterday, state broadband offices began receiving letters from NTIA, the federal agency administering the program, to formally announce funding was being terminated.

As news began to trickle out, many of those working on these issues across the nation had more questions than answers as they scrambled to process a mix of confusion and frustration, especially mindful of the fact that the Digital Equity Act barely touches on the subject of race. Although Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities have been disproportionately left on the wrong side of the digital divide, only one of the of eight “covered populations” identified by Congress in the law even mentions race.

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President Trump Targets Digital Equity Act —What It Means for Communities and the Future of Connectivity - Episode 646 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this urgent episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Angela Siefer and Amy Huffman of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) to unpack a stunning announcement: President Trump has declared the Digital Equity Act “unconstitutional” and vowed to cancel it.

Angela and Amy explain what the Digital Equity Act really does, who it serves, and why this sudden political attack puts millions of Americans—and the country’s digital future—at risk.

They offer insights into what’s still unclear, how local organizations are reacting, and what’s at stake if this critical program is dismantled.

NDIA's response to President Trump's statement can be found here.

This show is 33 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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Broadband at a Crossroads: Evan Feinman on Getting BEAD Right - Episode 645 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris sits down again with Evan Feinman to reflect on the challenges and lessons learned from launching the country’s largest broadband infrastructure initiative.

Evan shares an insider perspective on what it took to design the BEAD program, why local decision-making and equity are essential, and how political shifts could jeopardize its success. 

From permitting to the risks of relying on satellite technology, this conversation unpacks the real stakes of connecting every American to high-quality Internet.

This show is 52 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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States Moving Ahead With BEAD Processes

Broadband Breakfast stacked logo from Drew
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*The following story by Broadband Breakfast Reporter Jake Neenan was originally published here.

States are moving ahead with their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program processes after the Commerce Department extended for 90 days the deadlines for final spending plans.

“In Michigan, we are in the thick of reviewing, scoring, and deconflicting 392 applications that we received in our first grant round,” said Eric Frederick, head of the state’s High-Speed Internet Office. “It’s a very busy time for us.”

He spoke Wednesday on  a Fiber Broadband Association webinar.

The state received 32 applications to serve more than 78 percent of its 248,000 eligible locations in its first round, which ended April 9 and was restricted to fiber projects. Frederick said the state is planning to start discussing grant agreements with successful round one applicants “within the next month or so.”

Michigan is also planning to release a draft of its BEAD grant agreement, the contract grant winners will ultimately sign with the state, this week for public comment, Frederick said. The state was allocated more than $1.5 billion from the $42.45 billion program.

The Trump administration on Tuesday gave all states a 90-day extension on their deadlines to submit their lists of selected projects for approval, documents that were originally due one year after a state’s initial BEAD implementation proposal was given the federal green light. The National Telecommunications Administration, the Commerce agency handling BEAD, said states could require additional time to submit those proposals in light of forthcoming rule changes.

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Stringtown, MO Gets Connected: How Local Partnerships Are Closing the Rural Broadband Gap - Episode 644 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight Stringtown, Missouri— a rural community that now has fast, reliable Internet thanks to a powerful local partnership. 

Chris talks with Patty Boyers, President and CEO of BOYCOM, and Robbie Myers, Butler County’s Emergency Management Director, about the barriers they faced, the grant that made it possible, and how broadband is transforming everything from public safety and telehealth to economic development. 

This show is 37 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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BEAD Under Threat: Fiber, Satellites, and the Fight for the Future of Rural Internet Access - Episode 643 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, former BEAD Director Evan Feinman joins Christopher Mitchell and Sean Gonsalves to talk about the turmoil brewing inside the BEAD program. 

They break down what’s really behind the push for more satellite connectivity, the threat of sidelining state-led fiber projects, and the political forces stalling progress. 

With billions on the line and rural communities waiting, this episode cuts through the noise and asks: are we about to squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity?

This show is 46 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

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