D.C. Memo: Texas Puts BEAD Funding on Hold Over Allegations of Favoritism to Starlink
About $1.2 billion in limbo as the Texas Broadband Development Office deals with criticism, apparently encouraged by Starlink rival Amazon Leo, over how broadband deployment funds were awarded
Today’s Headlines
■ Conservative Groups Push FCC to Leave Big Four/Local TV Station Deals Alone
■ NBC News: Amazon LEO Years Behind Schedule … and Starlink
■ MoffettNathanson: Starlink Mobile Has Many Hurdles to Clear Before Posing a Threat to Incumbents
■ Analyst Entner Sees Starlink Ending up with Grain’s 800 MHz Spectrum
■ Entravision CEO: Latino Viewers Will Decide Key House, Senate Races
■ Federal Lab in Illinois Finds Way to Slash AI Energy Needs, But Can it Scale?
■ Shentel Employees Help Raise $28,000 for Local Food Banks
■ People: NCTA Adds Three Lawyers to Its Legal Team
BEAD: The BEAD program just hit a bump in the road that’s as big as Dallas. The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) has paused all payments tied to the state’s $1.2 billion share of the federal broadband deployment program, halting disbursements until further notice as scrutiny intensifies over how grants were awarded. The freeze, disclosed in an email obtained by The Texas Tribune, followed allegations that the office showed favoritism toward Elon Musk’s Starlink, prompting lawmakers to order an audit and Comptroller Don Huffines, who just took office on Aug. 1, to launch an internal review. The broadband office is under the purview of the state comptroller. “No further action is required from subgrantees at this time,” the office said in the email. ”The BDO will provide additional guidance and updates as they become available.” (More after paywall)
