A notice published late last week by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) confirmed the rollback of key Biden-era requirements, including DEI initiatives, climate planning, and open access/net neutrality conditions.
The Trump administration has also scrapped the programme’s previous fibre-first stance.
Under the new rules, all broadband technologies that meet statutory performance standards, such as 100/20 Mbps speeds and ≤100ms latency, can now qualify as “Priority Broadband Projects” — levelling the playing field for fixed wireless and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite providers, who were previously sidelined.
“Today we proudly announce a new direction for the BEAD programme that will deliver high-speed internet access efficiently on a technology-neutral basis, and at the right price,” said US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
Lutnick, who previously criticised the Biden framework during his confirmation hearings, has now put forward a revised BEAD approach aimed at reducing costs, increasing competition, and speeding up deployment timelines.
As part of the changes, states and territories have 90 days to update their BEAD implementation plans.
Crucially, they must also conduct a new subgrantee selection round, the so-called “Benefit of the Bargain Round”, which reopens past selections and invites new applications on equal footing.
Awards in this round must prioritise the lowest cost per location, speed to deployment, and technical performance, potentially overturning previous subgrantee decisions if cheaper or faster alternatives emerge.
The NTIA is also requiring states to use its Environmental Screening and Permitting Tracking Tool (ESAPTT) to streamline National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approvals — a move intended to shave three to six months off project permitting timelines.
“President Trump promised to put an end to wasteful spending, and thanks to his leadership, the American people will get the benefit of the bargain, with connectivity delivered around the country at a fraction of the cost of the original program,” Secretary Lutnick said.
In addition, the Trump administration has rescinded all previously approved Final Proposals, requiring states to resubmit updated plans in line with the new policy.
Any non-deployment funding, such as grants for digital literacy, workforce development, or planning initiatives, will be withdrawn, with NTIA confirming it will no longer reimburse those costs moving forward.
States, including Louisiana, Nevada, and Delaware, had already made final BEAD proposals before President Trump returned to office.
LEO satellite and unlicensed fixed wireless (ULFW) providers are now eligible to compete for BEAD funds, provided they meet strict technical performance requirements.
ULFW networks, previously excluded from eligibility, must now be accounted for in BEAD location mapping to prevent overbuilding.
US lawmakers expressed concerns earlier this year that opening up access to LEO providers could become a “giveaway” to Elon Musk’s Starlink, though the billionaire’s acrimonious break-up with President Trump last week puts those fears into question.
In terms of evaluating potential projects going forward, the NTIA has instructed states to assess subgrantees on the lowest cost per broadband serviceable location, with additional consideration given to how quickly they can bring services online and the technical capabilities of their networks.
The NTIA argued that removing the preference for a single technology would “bring the full force of the competitive marketplace to bear and allow American taxpayers to obtain the greatest return on their investment”.
The NTIA has also scrapped the previous requirement for states to set extremely high cost-per-location thresholds, calling out examples such as Nevada’s $200,000 cap as “unjust and unfair”.
