Satellite Broadband Emerges as Major Player in Federal BEAD Program
Satellite providers are securing 22 percent of federal broadband funding by offering immediate connectivity where fiber deployment could take years.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2025 — Satellite broadband has won more than 22 percent of federal funding allocations under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, as low-Earth orbit providers compete aggressively against fiber and fixed wireless solutions.
At the Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel on Wednesday on satellite’s role in the program, experts weighed the relative merits of the funding via satellite versus more than 63 percent for fiber and nearly 10 percent for fixed wireless. See Broadband Breakfast Premium BEAD chart for a detailed breakdown.
Steven Hill, president of the Satellite Broadcast and Communications Association, told the event that satellite technology offers immediate connectivity for underserved areas where fiber deployment could take years.
Broadband Breakfast
Member discussion