Broad Coalition Urges NTIA to Make BEAD Network Performance Data Public
Labor and public interest groups concerned over LEO providers' ability to carry out their commitments.
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2026 – If Starlink and Amazon Leo take federal broadband subsidies, a few watchdogs would like to see the LEOs’ homework.
A coalition of labor unions and public interest organizations is calling for the public release of network performance testing results from providers participating in a $42.45 billion federal broadband infrastructure program.
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program requires subgrantees receiving federal broadband deployment funds to meet minimum speed, latency, and reliability standards. While providers must conduct performance testing to demonstrate compliance, current National Telecommunications and Information Administration rules do not require those results to be made public.
In a letter sent Tuesday to NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth, the Communications Workers of America, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Public Knowledge, Free Press, New America's Open Technology Institute, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and several other organizations endorsed the proposal, first advanced in May by NTCA –The Rural Broadband Association.
“Like NTCA, we agree that accountability and transparency are critical to the success of BEAD,” the organizations wrote.
The letter cited concerns about some providers’ ability to carry out their commitments under the program, particularly low Earth orbit satellite providers.
The letter cited reports that Amazon Leo has withdrawn from some awarded locations or sought to renegotiate contracts in multiple states, including Texas and Nebraska.
It also referenced reports that SpaceX requested changes to certain BEAD performance obligations, warning that some requirements could make participation in the program "untenable."
The coalition argued that making the data available would allow communities, policymakers, and taxpayers to evaluate whether providers are delivering the service they promised when accepting billions of dollars in public subsidies.
“The public release of performance testing data represents ‘good government’ and good stewardship of public dollars. This simple measure would promote accountability and transparency in a program that commits substantial public funds,” the organizations wrote.
The letter comes as NTIA continues implementing changes to the BEAD program under the Trump administration.
Under the original state proposals, satellite providers were tentatively selected to serve roughly 1% of BEAD-eligible locations. Following the program's restructuring, satellite accounted for about 20 percent of the program’s 3.9 million locations.
Now, however, several states say federal officials have asked them to remove as many as half of the locations awarded to satellite providers
