One in five people in rural America lack access to reliable internet.
They’ve been abandoned by big telecommunications companies like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T who don’t see them as a worthwhile investment.
For years, these companies have taken billions of dollars in government subsidies meant to expand internet access—with little to show for it.
That could be changing. The Biden administration has authorized the biggest public investment into broadband in U.S. history.
The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program puts $42 billion towards expanding high-speed internet access and broadband infrastructure.
It could make a huge difference in rural America. The money could help fund publicly owned municipal broadband utilities — who may be the key to making internet affordable, reliable, and accessible to all.
But now Comcast, Verizon, and other big telecom companies are fighting to get their hands on the money.
