WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rejected SpaceX’s Starlink and LTD Broadband’s applications for more than $2 billion in internet service subsidies, the FCC said on Wednesday.
In December 2020, the FCC tentatively awarded $9.2 billion to over 300 bidders to deploy high-speed broadband from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. LTD Broadband won $1.32 billion and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network won $885.5 million in the 2020 auction.
SpaceX, which is run by billionaire Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Starlink’s technology has real promise,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement disclosing that the agency had rejected its long-form applications. But the FCC was hesitant to publicly subsidize Starlink’s developing technology, especially given that users need to purchase a $600 dish….