NTIA BEAD guidance may slow carriers, aid Starlink
New guidance from the NTIA for its BEAD program, intended to support broadband deployment, is expected to benefit Starlink by potentially delaying traditional carrier projects. According to analyst Blair Levin, while the guidance aims to favor carriers, the resulting delays could inadvertently create opportunities for satellite internet providers.
Key Takeaways
- NTIA's updated BEAD guidance is designed to “do favors for carriers,” according to Blair Levin.
- Levin says the guidance is likely to create delays in traditional carrier projects.
- Those delays could produce a “clear and material benefit” for Starlink.
- The BEAD program is meant to support broadband deployment, but the guidance may change how quickly projects move forward.
Why It Matters
The immediate effect is procedural: NTIA’s new BEAD guidance may slow some carrier-led broadband projects rather than speed them up. That matters because Levin says those delays create room for Starlink, making a federal broadband process relevant to satellite internet competition as well as terrestrial buildouts. The broader signal is that BEAD implementation can shift timelines in ways that affect which access technologies advance first. Watch for how quickly carriers adjust their project plans under the updated guidance and whether Starlink captures more of the delay window.
Read full article at lightreading.com
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