Texas Senator Orders New $5 Billion Broadband Plan as Starlink Favoritism Claims Grow
Updated
Updated · KUT · Jul 2
Texas Senator Orders New $5 Billion Broadband Plan as Starlink Favoritism Claims Grow
1 articles · Updated · KUT · Jul 2
Summary
Aug. 1 is the deadline Sen. Charles Schwertner gave the Texas Broadband Development Office to explain how it will improve transparency, accountability and efficiency, with a full strategic plan due by year-end.
At a June 24 Senate hearing, Schwertner and other lawmakers accused the office of changing grant rules to give low-earth-orbit satellite providers more money upfront while rejecting similar requests from traditional broadband applicants.
Bryant Clayton, the office's director, said the changes came after Gov. Greg Abbott's office asked Texas to compare its payment structure with other states; Abbott's office said earlier capital access would speed rural service.
More than $5 billion in Texas state and federal broadband funding is at stake as states adapt to the Trump administration's technology-neutral rewrite of the $42 billion BEAD program, a shift critics say benefits Starlink over fiber providers.
With billions at stake for rural internet, what truly drove Texas to give preferential treatment to satellite companies over local providers?
Is Texas's multi-billion dollar bet on satellite a fast track to connectivity or a detour from the future-proof promise of fiber?
$5 Billion at Stake: Texas Senate Probes Broadband Office Over Starlink Bias and Future of Rural Internet
Overview
This report examines how the Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee, led by State Sen. Charles Schwertner, is intensifying oversight of the state's Broadband Development Office amid growing concerns about favoritism and transparency in broadband funding. Lawmakers are investigating why grant rules appear to favor satellite providers, reflecting a broader national shift in broadband policy that impacts how infrastructure is developed. The Committee’s authority to propose changes to the BDO’s procedures is central as Texas faces pressure to ensure fair, effective, and future-ready broadband access for all communities, highlighting the need for accountability and strategic planning.