Get this: the government launched a $42.5 billion program to bring high-speed internet to everyone in America, but it’s not exactly going very well. In fact, it’s not really going at all. The Biden administration's ambitious Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is facing more delays than a sloth on a lazy summer day, and that’s having disastrous effects on the results.
Here are Five Fast Facts on the complete failure of broadband for all:
- 💰 Dialing Up The Broadband - Internet service is pretty much a daily necessity for most people now, so there was a lot of celebration when Congress allocated $42.5 billion back in 2021 to connect everyone in the country to high-speed Internet.
- 🤯 Wait, What…?! - So maybe shooting for broadband for everyone was a bit overly ambitious, but at least the BEAD program helped out a pretty good chunk of Americans, right? Um, no. Take a guess at how many people have been connected to high-speed broadband through BEAD. The answer: literally ZERO. That’s not a joke.
- 🐌 Deeeeelllllaaaaayyyyyssss… - Delays have been many, and disastrous. The government put so much red tape into the approval process – for stupid stuff like prioritizing criminals – that no one has gotten through it yet. And even if you can hack your way through the 9-step federal process, there’s another whole layer of state processes you have to go through! Have we mentioned there’s a 14-step local process, too?
- 🤷 States Left Hanging - Many states have already invested time and resources into planning their broadband expansions, only to find themselves in limbo due to the federal program's uncertain future. It's like preparing for a marathon that gets canceled at the starting line.
- 🎉 Private Sector For The Win - Broadband connectivity has expanded since 2021, but through no act of the government. As usual, private companies are moving and shaking, delivering the services that are needed in an economical way to 13 million new users.
🔥Bottom line: Despite throwing a jaw-dropping $42.5 billion at BEAD, not a single person has been connected to the Internet because of it. It’s like throwing a pizza party for the whole country and forgetting to order the pizza!
The journey to nationwide high-speed internet is proving to be a comedy of errors. With leadership changes, technological debates, and massive bureaucratic hurdles, the digital divide remains as wide as ever. Maybe it's time to go back to carrier pigeons.
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