This new federal policy shift forces Mississippi to scrap its broadband expansion plans, jeopardizing rural families’ access to reliable, affordable internet and prioritizing corporate interests over community needs.
Media Contact: Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald, CDF-Southern Regional Office Director, OFitzgerald@childrensdefense.org, 601-321-1966
JACKSON, MS—A recent decision by federal leaders to overhaul the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program threatens to derail Mississippi’s progress toward closing the digital divide, particularly in the state’s rural and underserved communities.
Under the “Benefit of the Bargain” policy announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), all states, including Mississippi, must rescind and restart their broadband grant processes under newly relaxed federal rules. These changes include:
· Eliminating the Fiber Preference – Once prioritized for its speed and long-term value, fiber infrastructure is now placed on equal footing with slower, less reliable technologies like satellite and fixed wireless.
· Removing Equity and Affordability Standards – Key Biden-era protections, such as requirements for low-cost broadband plans, labor standards, and inclusive public engagement, have been stripped away.
· Rescinding Approved Plans – Mississippi’s provisional awards are now void, forcing communities and providers to navigate a new and uncertain re-bidding process.
While federal leaders’ claim the new rules will accelerate deployment, others warn reversing Biden-era priorities will lead to slower, less reliable service in communities already lacking robust infrastructure. Last year, U.S. Census analysis showed one-in-five Mississippi households lacked broadband internet access, the highest rate in America. U.S. Department of Education data also shows the state has the highest percentage of children without any form of internet access at home at 6.2 percent.
The new policy could result in more public funding directed toward corporate interests and satellite providers like Elon Musk’s Starlink, while diverting billions from essential fiber networks. Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald, Children’s Defense Fund-Southern Regional Office Director added removing low-cost service requirements also threatens affordability, for low-income families, while forcing states to restart the grant process will delay critical broadband projects in rural Mississippi. These communities need broadband for education, healthcare, and economic stability.
“These changes are a direct blow to Mississippi’s rural communities,” she said. “[They] shift federal priorities away from investing in the kind of broadband infrastructure our communities deserve and instead promote short-term solutions that overlook those most in need.”
CDF-Southern Regional Office is committed to strengthening, expanding, and sustaining all work that ensures children have the resources they need to thrive. We call on Mississippi’s state officials and congressional delegation to stand up for the state’s most vulnerable communities and fight for policies that prioritize broadband access for all.
“Mississippi’s rural communities have low resourced families that have waited long enough,” said Fitzgerald. “We need broadband deployment that eliminates the digital divide in underserved communities, ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet for all children and families. Not quick fixes that serve corporate interests.”