Ohio Receives $793 Million in Broadband Funding

Starlink Leads Ohio’s BEAD Proposal

Ohio has awarded $51.6 million in BEAD funding to SpaceX’s Starlink, selecting the satellite provider to connect 31,000 underserved homes and businesses. The award gives Starlink control of 41 percent of all eligible sites in the state, making it the leading provider in Ohio’s broadband expansion plan. By contrast, Spectrum, owned by Charter Communications, came in second with just 13 percent of locations.

This marks Starlink’s second-largest BEAD allocation to date, trailing only Montana’s $119 million award earlier this month. Together, the two states signal a growing willingness to rely on satellite broadband as a cost-effective solution for rural coverage. Colorado has taken a similar path, although it leaned more heavily on Amazon’s Project Kuiper rather than SpaceX.

Cost First, Technology Second

Ohio received $793 million in total BEAD funds. However, state officials estimate they will only need $227 million to meet deployment targets, largely because satellite reduces the cost of reaching remote areas. In its proposal, Ohio emphasized lowest cost bids as the primary factor, with deployment timelines and network speeds ranked lower. That framework played directly to Starlink’s advantage.

Satellite offers immediate coverage without the need to lay thousands of miles of fiber. While many states continue to prioritize fiber’s long-term benefits, Ohio opted for a more pragmatic, budget-conscious approach. The decision also reflects recent policy changes at the federal level. A shift toward “technology neutrality” under the Trump administration opened the door for satellite providers to secure a larger share of BEAD awards.

Performance Trade-Offs Remain

The choice of satellite is not without compromise. Under the program, Starlink must provide service at 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds. Competing fiber providers, including Spectrum and AT&T, are committed to gigabit service in their awarded areas. Critics argue that subsidizing satellite may deliver only short-term relief while leaving rural households with lower speeds than urban markets.

At the same time, Starlink is expanding capacity and working toward gigabit-class performance. The company has already reached more than seven million subscribers globally and continues to position itself as a scalable solution for hard-to-reach communities. With Ohio’s award in hand, SpaceX strengthens its case that satellite can serve as more than a stopgap in U.S. broadband policy.

Implications for State and Federal Broadband Planning

Ohio’s plan illustrates how cost-driven evaluation criteria can significantly alter the balance between fiber and satellite. For policymakers, the decision raises important questions: should federal dollars prioritize long-term infrastructure or immediate access at lower cost? For market participants, it underscores the competitive opportunities opening for non-fiber technologies as states finalize their BEAD strategies.

With the National Telecommunications and Information Administration still required to approve every state’s proposal, Ohio’s satellite-heavy plan could face scrutiny. But if it moves forward, the outcome may set another precedent—following Montana—for how states balance fiscal efficiency against the future-proofing of broadband networks.

More on BEAD and Broadband

• More of our recent stories about BEAD and public broadband programs
• For up-to-date information on the $42 billion BEAD Program, check Brander Group’s BEAD funding progress dashboard