Yes, that would be the logical and conventional conclusion, but in these times, who knows?
I was keeping my eye on the Verizon contract to upgrade the FAA/ATC network with fiber. News sites were stating the FAA and the embedded DOGE boys were going to cancel the Verizon contract and award it to Starlink instead. Logic and convention would dictate there would be a procedure to cancel the Verizon contract, pay for work done, then go through a whole new specification and competitive bidding process. If that was not followed and the contract was just handed to another vendor on a no-bid basis, then I would say all bets are off for anything else including BEAR. However, those news reports seemed to be based on rumors and assumptions and anonymous sources. I was not ready to believe them. Now it is being reported that all parties are saying Starlink is working with L3Harris on a quick fix for the current outdated system and Verizon is cool with it. Is this closer to the truth? Is it putting a pretty face on an ugly story? Who knows. I hope it is, because the other version was kind of scary. And honestly, I am willing to believe that fiber is the correct long term solution for an air traffic control network, now matter how much I am invested in wireless. From: AF <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Tushar Patel Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:58 PM To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AFMUG] BEAD Fiber projects gone? I agree. Tushar On Mar 5, 2025, at 3:52 PM, Tyson Burris <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: My argument would be that if they are going to open it up to technology neutral services, which includes Starlink, Cellular Hotspots, and Fixed unlicensed wireless to achieve the best outcome for the money then the whole process has to be restarted. Because as it stands right now, bidding was based on exclusion of those services as “underserved” which was half ass logic. Tyson Burris, President Internet Communications Inc. 739 Commerce Dr. <x-apple-data-detectors://1/1> Franklin, IN 46131 <x-apple-data-detectors://1/1> 317-738-0320 <tel:317-738-0320> Daytime # 317-412-1540 <tel:317-412-1540> Cell/Direct # Online: www.surfici.net VIA WIRELESS On Mar 5, 2025, at 16:46, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> wrote: If the new language says that the state has to be “technology-neutral,” and also that the state has to select the lowest-cost projects, which I thought was selecting criteria, too. I would think more FWA projects will do well. We shall see. Thanks, Tushar From: AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > On Behalf Of Ken Hohhof Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:25 PM To: 'AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group' <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] BEAD Fiber projects gone? Unless they find a way to strongarm the states to give it all to Elon, I’m not sure this is a huge change. I would expect states to still prefer fiber if they got enough BEAD money to do it everywhere, or otherwise to lower the cost point at which they use FWA or satellite until they have enough money to go around. Seems like this is the way things were going anyway. I mean, if you’re a state and the feds gave you $1 billion to spend, wouldn’t you spend most of it on fiber except where fiber is really really difficult or expensive? Unless there is pressure to get it done in 5 months instead of 5 years. I would be shocked, shocked if all (or even most) fiber projects were gone. What I’d worry more about is that the money goes to satellite in preference to FWA. Seems like BEAD money to FWA would build infrastructure, while the way BEAD would subsidize satellite like Starlink would be to cover part of the monthly cost for X many years, in other words not a long term solution. Even if they found a way to fund launching new satellites, they only last 5 years and have to be replaced. From: AF < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> On Behalf Of <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:12 PM To: 'AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group' < <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]> Subject: [AFMUG] BEAD Fiber projects gone? https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/commerce-to-overhaul-internet-for-all-plan-expanding-starlink-funding-prospects-74664efc#comments_sector Thank you, <image001.jpg> Tushar Patel <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] <http://www.westernbroadband.com/> www.westernbroadband.com (512) 257-2733 -- AF mailing list [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com <image001.jpg>
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