New Gov. Ruling Changes Wifi in Montana Indefinitely

BUTTE, MT - Montana’s ambitious plan to expand high-speed internet access across the state just hit a massive curveball, coming straight from Washington, D.C.

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Back in 2023, the federal government announced that Montana would receive more than $600 million in broadband funding through the BEAD program (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment), a national initiative to bring high-speed internet to every American still without it.

But with the transition from the Biden to the Trump administration earlier this year, everything about how that money can be spent is changing, and fast.

What’s Changing and Why It Matters

On June 6, new guidance from the Trump administration triggered a 90-day sprint for states to overhaul their broadband plans.

According to Misty Ann Giles, Director of the Montana Department of Administration, to KTVH, “this is going to be fast and furious.”

Montana had already created a framework and started working with internet providers to deliver service to unserved parts of the state—specifically areas where options are limited, unreliable, or entirely nonexistent.

But the new federal rules forced a “pencils down” moment for the state.

Montana is now overhauling its process: rewriting applications, re-scoring bids, and updating coverage maps to reflect the most accurate data.

The biggest shift? The program no longer favors fiber-optic internet, once considered the gold standard.

No More Fiber Preference, Price Now Rules

Originally, BEAD pushed states to prioritize fiber: a reliable but expensive option that requires physical cables.

But under the new rules, there’s no preference for how internet is delivered. That means fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite are now all competing on a level playing field.

What matters most under the Trump administration’s rules is cost.

Price is the top deciding factor, unless two applications come in within 15% of each other. In that case, secondary factors—like reliability and speed—might be considered.

“This administration and the notice was extremely clear: Price, price, price,” said Anthony Curcio to KTVH, an advisor with the Montana Broadband Office.

Could Satellite Internet Take Over?

Some Montanans may worry this opens the door for large satellite internet providers to swoop in and claim every unserved region. While that’s technically possible, Giles says it’s unlikely.

“They were not leaning towards a ‘We can just do everything’ model,” she explained to KTVH. Satellite providers face national bandwidth constraints and are expected to target only those areas where traditional infrastructure simply doesn’t make sense.

So, What Happens Next?

Montana’s Broadband Office hopes to launch its updated application window—dubbed the “Benefit of the Bargain” period—as early as July 7.

Providers will have just 15 days to revise or submit new bids under the revamped rules.

It’s a tight timeline, but Montana officials remain confident.

What It Means for You

If you live in a rural part of Montana and still don’t have reliable internet, this shakeup may affect what kind of service you’ll eventually receive, and how soon you’ll get it. Fiber might not reach your home, but a mix of fixed wireless and satellite could arrive sooner and at a lower cost.

In the end, the hope remains the same: to finally close Montana’s digital divide. But how we get there is changing—quickly, and dramatically.