With Starlink founder Elon Musk growing in both global and political influence, the company is poised to play a big role in the telecommunications agenda of the incoming administration. Whether it’s Starlink or Project Kuiper (another privately funded satellite-based broadband system), a boost in satellite broadband should benefit consumers who currently lack broadband access. 

The Biden administration did not looked favorably on Starlink. Perhaps this was due to the administration’s stubborn focus on fiber deployment. It may also have to do with the aforementioned connection between Musk and Donald Trump. CNET noted that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rejected Starlink’s application for $900 million in funding from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Musk called the FCC’s decision on RDOF “contemptible political warfare.”  

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which administers the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, could exclude Starlink from accessing money in that $42.5 billion fund due to the program’s current wireline focus. Musk has blasted the NTIA’s implementation of that program, calling BEAD “an outrageous waste of taxpayer money [that] is utterly failing to serve people in need.” That came in response to an X post noting that $42.5 billion could have bought Starlink dishes for 140 million people. 

Taxpayers would benefit from less resistance to satellite internet because their tax dollars would go further with that technology. The Fiber Broadband Association found that fiber construction typically costs $34,000 to $86,000 per mile. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in August, “I can bridge that gap with one Starlink kit, which is 500 bucks.”  

Satellite isn’t a complete panacea for bridging the digital divide. Spectrum constraints prevent Starlink and other satellite providers from serving all locations in an area, and typical speeds are around 65 Megabits per second down and 10 Mbps up, according to Ookla. This is why the government ought to consider various forms of technology in its telecom approach. 

Ookla pointed out that Starlink’s speeds were significantly better than rivals HughesNet and Viasat. The new market entrant will help satellite internet progress due to the increased competition. “Starlink isn’t shooting for the stars, but is successfully managing to balance capacity and demand,” Ookla said. 

Starlink is now seeking FCC approval for “several small-but-meaningful updates to the orbital configuration and operational parameters for its Gen2 space station authorization to improve space sustainability, better respond to evolving demand, and more efficiently share spectrum with other spectrum users,” ArsTechnica reported. Musk says if he can get approval for the update, Starlink will be capable of 1 Gbps speeds.  

Musk is likely to find an ally in FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who Trump has appointed to the chairman’s role pending Senate approval next year. Carr has previously advocated for Starlink. He argued the FCC should “expedite its work to support this new technology” by quickly approving applications to launch new satellites.  

Patrick Moorehead, founder and CEO of Moor Insights, told Fierce Network that the Biden administration’s broadband policies didn’t work and he expects the incoming Republican administration to be more tech-neutral. “Billions spent with little to show for it. I think we can all agree that we can do better,” he said. “Starlink is an easy option to bolster broadband rural areas, and therefore, the company could benefit.” 

Hopefully, the Trump administration will explore the usage of more non-fiber technologies while not showing overt patronage to Starlink. The openness to working with a variety of providers would be the fastest way to bring broadband to all Americans.  

Johnny Kampis is director of telecom policy for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.