The Battle to Make U.S. States Use Satellites to Provide Rural Internet Access
15 days ago
- #space congestion
- #rural broadband
- #satellite internet
- The push for rural broadband internet in the U.S. is shifting from fiber optic cables to satellite constellations due to political and economic changes.
- The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funded the BEAD Program, requiring states to identify underserved areas and propose solutions for fast internet access.
- New federal rules under a new administration emphasize tech neutrality and cost prioritization, favoring satellite options like SpaceX's Starlink.
- SpaceX is suing states like Louisiana and Virginia, arguing they haven't followed the new rules and that fiber is too expensive compared to Starlink.
- Satellite constellations like Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper are not yet fully built out, with demand currently outstripping supply.
- Low-Earth orbit is becoming congested with satellites and debris, raising sustainability concerns for future space operations.
- Most states prefer using BEAD funding for fiber optic cables over satellites, seeing them as a more dependable short-term solution.