Last year’s election shake-up and leadership changes at federal agencies could create new opportunities for satellite broadband. While being careful to guard against overcorrection, policymakers should embrace a technology-neutral approach to broadband deployment that utilizes all available resources and technologies—including satellite. Such an approach would go a long way toward realizing the goal of universal service for all Americans.
Despite routine pledges to close the digital divide, government agencies have not always used all the tools at their disposal to make this happen.
In recent years, and especially under the Biden administration, government agencies like the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have sometimes favored certain technologies over others when awarding money through programs like Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD), which is designed to expand access to high-speed internet. Satellite broadband, in particular, has often taken a back seat to technologies like fiber due to the lingering perception that it “overpromises and underdelivers.” In some cases, government agencies have gone so far as to label newer forms of satellite technology as “nascent” and still developing, which has occurred as recently as last year when the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) rejected Starlink’s bid for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction money.
However, while it is true that satellite broadband—especially in its earliest days—sometimes underperformed expectations by providing questionable service, much has changed over the last few years. New and innovative next-generation low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet constellation systems offer better coverage, faster service, fewer transmission delays, and better indoor penetration than older high-altitude satellite systems because of their close proximity to the Earth (typically 1,200 miles or less). In many cases, they are better equipped to connect Americans living in remote locations much more quickly than wired alternatives like fiber, which requires significant material investment and time to build the necessary infrastructure.
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Nate Scherer is the Director of Finance Policy at the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization. For more information about the Institute, visit www.TheAmericanConsumer.Org or follow on X @ConsumerPal.