StarLink and Rewrite of Broadband Grant Rules

Jeff Lee, LittleT Broadband

I am subscribed to a number of broadband discussion groups and forums. A discussion topic that has surfaced in recent months relates to StarLink and anticipated changes in the upcoming broadband grant rules from the NTIA.

As I mentioned in previous posts and presented to the commissioners on May 13th, the current administration has changed leadership at the NTIA which is the federal agency responsible for the $42.5B BEAD grant program. The BEAD program was intended to bring sweeping relief to rural areas that still do not have high speed internet available. The NTIA has spent the last 2 years working with states to allocate funding fairly for each state and to approve grant programs for each state that will be used to disribute these funds. The new leadership at the NTIA has idicated that it will be making changes to the rules which govern how these funds will be distributed, a process which is adding delay and uncertainty to the outcome of these program.

One rule that is anticipated to change is the type of broadband technology favored by the grant program. The current rules and programs in most states favor grant appllications that will deploy fiber, which is considered the gold standard and the technology that can deliver the performance and growth needed over the next 10-20 years. All of the broadband grants projects currently under construction in Macon County are deploying fiber, and most all broadband grant programs since 2020 have favored fiber as a preferred solution by more heavily weighting this technology when scoring grant applications. Though fiber is favored, other technologies are stilled allowed when applications with fiber solutions are not available.

A technology expected to receive increased favor or weighting is satellite, which includes broadband services such as SpaceX StarLink. Commissioner Shields specifically asked about StarLink at the end of the Broadband Update discussion during the last BOC meeting on May 13th. When spending taxpayer dollars on grants to invest in infrastructure, most states, counties, and municipalities want to invest grant funding in rural areas for which there is confidence in long term growth and reliablity. They also want to invest in infrastructure that will place their rural residents and businesses on equal footing with those in large metro areas.

I personally have been using the StarLink service for about three years. Though it is hands down better than DSL and the other satellite internet services currently available. It has made an incredible difference in our household, and I am thankful it has been available. Though I feel StarLink is an excellent internet service for those that need it, can afford it, and can receive it at their location, I do not feel it should be given equal weight when considering broadband technologies for a rual broadband grant. Though StarLink is a great solution for many folks, it cannot and does not deliver the equivalent performance and experience as a fiber broadband connection. When fiber becomes available at my home, I will not hesitate to drop StarLink and switch over to fiber reguardless of the provider.

We want the residents and businesses of Macon County to have access to the same technologies as those in metro areas. For that reason I feel that we must continue to advocate for keeping fiber as the gold standard of broadband services to which all Macon residents and business should have access. Fiber needs to continue being the most heavily weighted technology when considering applications for grant funding. This will help insure that our rural residents and businesses have the same service opportunities as in metro areas.