I live at a 911 service address that broadband subsidies prior to the Broadband DATA Act never reached. Not because the terrain was too rugged or the technology too new—but because the policy design was flawed. It left communities like mine stranded, waiting for promises that never materialized.

All too often, we watched private companies and FCC announcements promoting the latest subsidy that was finally going to serve rural areas—only to see it perpetuate the disadvantage of people with no voice. We are only about 10% of the population of the United States, and the penalties for defaulting were designed in ways that made it seem like private enterprises could take the money and run.

That’s why the NTIA’s recent stance on BEAD funding resonates so deeply. Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth said it plainly:

“BEAD projects are inherently risky. These are the hardest-to-serve areas in the country—the ones the private sector didn’t reach even with earlier federal programs. But BEAD is likely to be the last major federal broadband investment—as it should be—and providers that are banking on future subsidies to stay afloat, are setting themselves, and their communities, up to fail.”

This isn’t just a policy pivot, it is a mindset shift. For those of us who’ve lived through the gaps, the delays, and the excuses, it’s a call to build differently. That means fund stacking—leveraging federal, state, local, and philanthropic dollars in concert—and resource pooling across agencies, anchor institutions, and private partners. These strategies don’t just stretch budgets; they build resilience.

Through our partnership with the Quello Center at Michigan State University and Merit Network’s Michigan Moonshot Initiative, we finally had amplification of our local voice through data and policy research. We were blessed to participate in the K–12 Citizen Science project, which helped quantify the effect that poor policy design has on communities with no voice, culminating in the Broadband and Student Performance Gaps. Through data and research, our voice was finally loud enough to inform national, state, and local policy.

The Research becaume our voice: When communities lack Internet access—due to missing infrastructure, unclear value, or uncertainty about whether they could afford it, they’re cut off from opportunity. Without it, they can’t build the digital skills needed to compete. That creates a lasting disadvantage we couldn’t afford to ignore.

We talk about BEAD being the largest investment in history. But as a matter of policy and investment, we must recognize that in my region, BEAD really is only the last 10% of investment needed to achieve universal availability. I am grateful to the service providers and their investment in my communities—this is how public-private collaboration and policy unite for lasting success of all parties involved.

I want to thank the members of the EUPConnect Collaborative, whose trust and commitment to working collectively has accelerated digital connectivity across our region. Their dedication to community-driven planning and shared investment has laid the groundwork for sustainable infrastructure and equitable access.

This will catapult us into the digital economy via the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and we will finally be able to realize and aspire for all the digital opportunities that come with it. Marking the end of the perpetual disadvantage we have endured for so long. For me, the mission is safe, secure, connected communities. Failure is not an option.

Hampton, K. N., Fernandez, L., Robertson, C. T., & Bauer, J. M. (2020). Broadband and student performance gaps. James H. and Mary B. Quello Center, Michigan State University. https://doi.org/10.25335/BZGY-3V91

Roth, A. (2025, October 30). Remarks of Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth at the Hudson Institute. National Telecommunications and Information Administration.