As the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz and Donald Trump-JD Vance campaigns pour resources into Maine to compete for electoral votes, both the Vice President and former President Trump could benefit from something more than campaign dollars: a lesson from Maine on how to fix the stalled Biden-Harris broadband rollout.
The $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, launched in 2021, has produced little beyond red tape. Despite years of effort, the program has yet to connect a single household. Bureaucracy and an overabundance of policy agendas have shackled the initiative, delaying hotly desired broadband for Americans.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), tasked with leading BEAD, has complicated the process with excessive oversight requirements. But beyond red tape, a significant bottleneck lies in NTIA’s insistence on fiber-optic networks—a demand that exceeds NTIA’s authority. Fiber takes time and labor to install, leaving underserved communities waiting. Congress had explicitly prohibited such technology favoritism, yet NTIA continues to resist more nimble technologies like low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Maine has chosen a different path. It’s Working Internet ASAP program will provide Starlink terminals to 9,000 of its most remote locations, offering rapid connectivity that fiber networks could take years to match. By cutting through bureaucratic layers, Maine is ensuring that eligible citizens will receive terminals and installation quickly, along with the opportunity to enroll on a rolling basis. Subscribers will be responsible for their monthly service fees.
Governor Janet Mills believes every Mainer will have access to reliable internet by the end of 2024. Meanwhile, BEAD—mired in NTIA approval processes—won’t have connected anyone by that time. Maine is leveraging bulk purchases of Starlink equipment and reserving service capacity to lower costs, streamlining the entire process.
What holds BEAD back from using LEO satellites? It’s hard to ignore the Biden-Harris administration’s strained relationship with Elon Musk, Starlink’s founder. Musk’s ventures have become a political lightning rod. The Federal Trade Commission has demanded his company X (formerly Twitter) hand over internal communications that involve him. And the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) withdrew funding Starlink had won to serve rural areas, deeming the company’s business plan “unrealistic.” Ironically, the FCC chairperson is now concerned that Starlink’s business plan might be too good, labeling Starlink a potential “monopoly” and calling for increased competition from other nations’ private actors.
Resistance to Starlink is a lost opportunity for Vice President Harris, who was tasked with leading broadband policy in 2021 and has since declared, “High-speed internet is a necessity. Full stop.” Maine’s approach offers her a way to pivot: Embracing LEO technology would show leadership and provide a practical solution to a notable disappointment. She could position herself as a leader who prioritizes Americans’ connectivity over bureaucracy and politics.
Trump has been largely silent about broadband. A bold stance could give him a compelling contrast with the Biden-Harris administration. By championing Maine’s model, he could argue that a Trump-led government would prioritize deregulation and empower states to act faster. He could frame BEAD as a cautionary tale of the bureaucratic swamp’s dismissing Americans’ priorities, pointing to Maine’s initiative as proof that local innovation outpaces Washington’s red tape.
NTIA defends its slow-moving process by invoking “election-year politics,” pointing to gaps in the Trump FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). But many of RDOF’s issues stem from the Biden FCC reversing its commitments and failing to square conflicts between RDOF and BEAD requirements. Meanwhile, NTIA insists that fiber-optic networks are worth the wait. Yet this reasoning defies the very legislation that created BEAD, which explicitly prohibited NTIA from directing technology choices.
Both Harris and Trump have a chance to learn from Maine and fix BEAD before it becomes a symbol of squandered opportunity. Embracing LEO satellites offers a way to let Americans choose broadband now if they wish—not years from now. Faster broadband rollout is a win for either campaign. And Maine is showing the way.