Broadband Trade Group Join Push for BEAD Progress
Federal lawmakers, local ISPs that participated in the program, and other have been trying to keep political pressure on Commerce.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2025 – Major broadband trade groups are starting to weigh in on the dispute over the future of $42.45 billion in broadband expansion funding. They joined those urging the government to let the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program move forward without major changes.
“These rural communities have waited long enough for next-generation broadband that will unlock massive economic opportunities, and they cannot afford more program delays,” the groups wrote in a Tuesday letter to President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “The BEAD program was designed for the States to carry out, and the States should remain in the driver’s seat, empowered to use their expertise in determining the best broadband technology solutions for their residents.”
Those signing on to the letter were USTelecom, NTCA, NRECA, which represents rural electric cooperatives, the Telecommunications Industry Association, and WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband.
The Trump administration has put the program on hold at the federal level while it plans updated rules aimed at taking “a tech-neutral approach,” as opposed to the current rules favoring fiber broadband projects. That guidance is expected to come down this summer.
While major industry groups have been largely quiet on the issue until now, there’s been a steady stream of pressure from federal and state lawmakers and other stakeholders pushing the Commerce Department not to force states into redoing work, nor to force money away from fiber projects. More than 40 states have already started or finished fielding applications under the current rules.
ISPs and contractors in Louisiana, one of the three states that received approval on their grant winners under the Biden administration in January, have told Commerce they’ve taken a financial hit after scaling up in preparation for BEAD builds that haven’t been allowed to start.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morissey (R) suggested in a recent op-ed that the state’s spending plan, originally all-fiber, could include fixed wireless and satellite for some unconnected homes and businesses after revisions to bring it in line with the Trump administration’s goals. The state was given a 90-day extension to submit its final BEAD plan in March after Morissey met with Lutnick, and the extension was later issued to every state and territory.
The telecom trade groups also urged not to shift too far from fiber.
“We recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to solving rural broadband challenges and that every technology will have an important role to play in BEAD,” the trade groups wrote. “At the same time, BEAD is a golden opportunity to drive as much fiber infrastructure as feasible into our country, which will help advance your Administration’s important connectivity, AI, and advanced manufacturing goals.”
Fiber was prioritized by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Commerce agency managing BEAD, in a bid to fund permanent infrastructure that would keep up with future increases in bandwidth demand. GOP lawmakers have argued other technologies like Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are cheaper and quicker to deploy. Musk, a top GOP donor and close advisor to Trump, claimed yesterday he was stepping back from his government role.
The NTIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
