Five industry associations (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association, Telecommunications Industry Association, USTelecom and WTA) send a letter to the Trump Administration asking them to keep BEAD going quickly…

We are writing to thank you for your commitment to the BEAD program for rural broadband deployment. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that established the BEAD program was passed three-and-a-half years ago—and yet not a single household has been connected to high-speed internet through the program. To fulfill its long overdue mission of connecting all Americans, we urge you to both eliminate the unnecessary and burdensome
program requirements imposed by the Biden Administration and enable the States to move forward quickly with implementation.
Our members are the companies that have been the boots on the ground building, maintaining, and supplying the equipment for the broadband network infrastructure in rural America, and we cannot overstate the importance of getting the BEAD program on track. These rural communities have waited long enough for next-generation broadband that will unlock massive economic opportunities, and they cannot afford more program delays. The BEAD program was designed for the States to carry out, and the States should remain in the driver’s
seat, empowered to use their expertise in determining the best broadband technology solutions for their residents.
We recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to solving rural broadband challenges and that every technology will have an important role to play in BEAD. At the same time, BEAD is a golden opportunity to drive as much fiber infrastructure as feasible into our country, which will help advance your Administration’s important connectivity, AI, and advanced manufacturing goals.
We are confident that under your direction, BEAD can unleash economic opportunity for America’s rural communities, and we appreciate your leadership in moving the program forward.
We look forward to working with you on this important matter.