Expert Says Millions of Areas Remain Unserved In Spite of BEAD and Other Programs
Increased competition in already-served markets could leave rural communities behind.
WASHINGTON, April 8, 2026 – Around 2.1 million broadband-serviceable locations in non-BEAD areas currently remain unserved or underserved, said Jim Stegeman, president and CEO of broadband consulting company CostQuest.
He was referring to locations outside the areas to be served under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program. And while such deployment has been both robust and continual, about 28 percent of new fiber is being built in locations that already have both fiber and cable service. This means carriers are making competitive moves in already-served markets, which leaves rural and other underserved communities left without this access.
“There’s about 60 million homes left to serve as we build out fiber to everybody across the country, but when we look at the total addressable market, it’s more like 130 million,” said Fiber Broadband Association President and CEO Gary Bolton. “Because what we’re seeing is second and third and fourth passings of the same homes by other providers.”
