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WSJ Tech News Briefing

TNB Tech Minute: Commerce’s Overhaul of ‘Internet for All’ Plan Could Expand Starlink Funding

WSJ Tech News Briefing

The Wall Street Journal

News, Tech News

4.61.6K Ratings

🗓️ 4 March 2025

⏱️ 3 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Plus, developers of a Utah data center land a $2 billion loan to build a 100-acre campus. And Best Buy warns U.S. customers of possible higher prices as a new round of tariffs takes effect. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:04.8

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0:12.5

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0:17.5

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0:22.0

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0:24.5

Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.

0:31.4

Here's your TNB Tech Minute for Tuesday, March 4th.

0:35.1

I'm Julie Chang for the Wall Street Journal.

0:39.0

We're exclusively reporting that the Commerce Department is overhauling a Biden-era program aimed at expanding internet access

0:44.7

across the country. The broadband equity access and deployment program is a $42.5 billion

0:50.8

program created by the 2021 infrastructure bill. Under its new rules,

0:56.4

Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink will be eligible for more rural broadband funding.

1:02.2

That's according to people familiar with the plans. The people said Commerce Secretary Howard

1:06.9

Lutnik has told staff he plans to make the program technology neutral. That change would

1:12.3

allow more funds to be given to satellite internet providers instead of mainly to companies

1:17.0

that lay fiber optic cables. Under the program's original rules, Starlink was expected to get

1:22.7

roughly $4 billion. With Lutnik's overhaul, Starlink could receive $10 to $20 billion, the people said.

1:30.4

A White House spokesman said the Trump administration is committed to slashing government bureaucracy

1:35.1

and harnessing cutting-edge technology to deliver real results. A Starlink representative didn't

1:40.7

respond to a request for comment. Developers have secured a $2 billion loan for a

1:47.1

100-acre data center campus in West Jordan, Utah. The borrower is a venture of real estate investor

1:54.1

CIM Group and Nova Data Centers. The lenders are J.P. Morgan Chase and Starwood Property Trust.

...

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