It’s been a year of sweeping and controversial changes for a huge federal broadband initiative.

The $42.45 billion program was created in 2021 with bipartisan support and an ambitious goal: bring high-speed internet access to every home and business in the U.S., no matter how remote.

In June, the Trump administration announced major changes to the grant program.

The program originally prioritized projects that use fiber-optic cables, citing a need to ensure that the networks ultimately offer faster speeds to meet the needs of the future. Federal officials argued this relegated other technologies, like wireless and satellite internet, to “third-tier status” — even though they are often cheaper and faster to build.

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