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Elon Musk’s SpaceX has won big from the government’s revised BEAD guidance. They now lead the pack among all providers for locations to be served.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Of the nearly 4 million locations to be served by BEAD proposals analyzed so far, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is due to provide over 472,000 of those locations with connectivity.
That’s according to numbers from Connected Nation. The organization has posted a dashboard tracking progress of the $42.45 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program online.
Data shows that SpaceX, which operates Starlink as a wholly owned subsidiary, has thus far been granted more than any satellite provider in the program, according to Connected Nation.
Data shows SpaceX with a grant amount totaling to over $733 million, Connected Nation’s numbers revealed.
Under BEAD, SpaceX has also received more than double the amount awarded to their next closest low-Earth orbit satellite competitor: Amazon Kuiper.
Analysis has revealed that $311 million has been awarded to Amazon Kuiper thus far, according to Connected Nation.
Like SpaceX, Amazon Kuiper also plans to provide connectivity to over 400,00 locations (415,000), the data shows.
As has been previously reported, the revised guidance ordered bureaucrats to find more cost-efficient means of delivering broadband. As a result, the attractiveness of low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity has boosted for states seeking cheaper alternatives to fiber.
Previously, Colin Reilly, a VP of data strategy and technical services with Connected Nation, said all states and territories were forced to reassess BEAD spending plans following the revised guidance.
“We are now seeing the results of that,” Reilly said.
Shortly after leaving his role as director of the BEAD program in March, Evan Feinman suggested that he was pressured by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to increase the role of LEO satellite coverage in the BEAD Program above other considerations.
According to the Financial Times, Feinman was told Lutnick asked if he had spoken with Elon Musk.
Looking at Louisiana and Nevada
Before the guidance, we reported that Louisiana was planning to serve 2 percent of eligible BEAD locations with LEO satellite. Now, with a new proposal in line with Lutnick’s guidance, they’ll serve almost 9 percent with satellite, according to Connected Nation.
Another state to see a big jump in LEO coverage to eligible locations under the new guidance was Nevada. Previously, Feinman told Broadband Communities that Nevada would serve roughly 10 percent of eligible locations with LEO satellite.
Now, the state is set to cover nearly 30% (29.1 to be exact) of eligible locations with LEO satellite, according to Connected Nation’s BEAD tracker.
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