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.
Meta and the Internet Society have launched the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative, a new project aimed at expanding affordable internet connections worldwide.
Australia's competition watchdog said there was a need to revisit efforts to ensure greater choice for internet users, citing Google's dominant search engine market share and its competitors' failure to capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom.
Google and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms urged the Australian government on Tuesday to delay a bill that will ban most forms of social media for children under 16, saying more time was needed to assess its potential impact.
International donors at a European Union-led conference in Brussels pledged €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) on Monday to support Syria’s new authorities, who are grappling with humanitarian and security crises following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
A U.S. spy drone withdrew from near Iranian airspace after being intercepted by Iranian F-14 fighter jets and reconnaissance drones, Iran’s Nournews reported on Monday, citing the country's Army Air Force.
Germany’s constitutional court has rejected last-minute legal challenges to a €500 billion ($546 billion) infrastructure fund proposed by conservative leader Friedrich Merz.
A deal that could reshape Ukraine’s borders—Donald Trump is pushing for a peace agreement with Vladimir Putin, suggesting land concessions and nuclear plant control may be on the table.
Sweden’s deputy prime minister Ebba Busch has called on the European Union to amend its clean-tech funding rules to help bankrupt battery cell maker Northvolt secure a new owner.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot forget the years of occupation, and we will not forget them, President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Baku Forum.
President Donald Trump has vowed to respond to the European Union's counter-tariffs, escalating tensions over the U.S. steel and aluminum duties that have sparked a trade dispute between the two economic powers.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
EU ministers vowed on Monday to explore ways to save Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after U.S. President Donald Trump cut its funding, but warned that replacing U.S. support would not be easy.
International donors at a European Union-led conference in Brussels pledged €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) on Monday to support Syria’s new authorities, who are grappling with humanitarian and security crises following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
A U.S. spy drone withdrew from near Iranian airspace after being intercepted by Iranian F-14 fighter jets and reconnaissance drones, Iran’s Nournews reported on Monday, citing the country's Army Air Force.
Germany’s constitutional court has rejected last-minute legal challenges to a €500 billion ($546 billion) infrastructure fund proposed by conservative leader Friedrich Merz.
A deal that could reshape Ukraine’s borders—Donald Trump is pushing for a peace agreement with Vladimir Putin, suggesting land concessions and nuclear plant control may be on the table.
International donors at a European Union-led conference in Brussels pledged €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) on Monday to support Syria’s new authorities, who are grappling with humanitarian and security crises following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
A U.S. spy drone withdrew from near Iranian airspace after being intercepted by Iranian F-14 fighter jets and reconnaissance drones, Iran’s Nournews reported on Monday, citing the country's Army Air Force.
Germany’s constitutional court has rejected last-minute legal challenges to a €500 billion ($546 billion) infrastructure fund proposed by conservative leader Friedrich Merz.
A deal that could reshape Ukraine’s borders—Donald Trump is pushing for a peace agreement with Vladimir Putin, suggesting land concessions and nuclear plant control may be on the table.
Sweden’s deputy prime minister Ebba Busch has called on the European Union to amend its clean-tech funding rules to help bankrupt battery cell maker Northvolt secure a new owner.
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