Director of rural broadband program exits with warning over shift to worse satellite internet

Evan Feinman, the former director of the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, has departed his role amid concerns over a potential policy shift that could replace high-speed fiber connections with slower, more expensive satellite internet services.

Feinman’s exit, reported by ProPublica’s Craig Silverman, comes as the new administration prepares to overhaul the program.

In an email to staffers—screenshotted and shared on Bluesky—Feinman warned that proposed changes aimed at a “tech-neutral stance” might reduce the number of American homes and businesses benefiting from fiber connections while increasing reliance on satellite technology. “The new administration seems to want to make changes that ignore the clear direction laid out by Congress, reduce the number of American homes and businesses that get fiber connections, and increase the number that get satellite connections. The degree of that shift remains unknown, but regardless of size, it will be a disservice to rural and small-town America. Stranding all or part of rural America with worse internet so that we can make the world’s richest man even richer is yet another in a long line of betrayals by Washington,” Feinman wrote.

The BEAD Program, established in 2021, was designed to expand high-speed internet access to underserved rural areas. However, the program has recently come under scrutiny. Howard Lutnick, the new Secretary of Commerce, criticized the previous administration’s handling of the program, arguing that it “has not connected a single person to the internet.” Lutnick has advocated for a “tech-neutral stance” and signaled a potential pivot away from a strong preference for fiber connections. His approach, which includes rolling out satellite options such as those offered by Elon Musk’s Starlink, has raised concerns among critics who fear that such a shift will deliver slower speeds at higher costs to consumers.

Feinman urged colleagues to advocate for the removal of “needless requirements” but cautioned strongly against moving away from fiber. His departure and warning highlight growing tensions over how best to modernize America’s rural broadband infrastructure without compromising performance for cost.

As the Commerce Department moves forward with its planned overhaul, the debate over the optimal mix of broadband technologies remains a key issue for policymakers, rural communities, and industry stakeholders alike.

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