The BEAD program is pouring billions into expanding broadband access across rural America, but some experts warn it underestimates what it takes to keep those networks running once the fiber is in the ground.
August 6th, 2026. Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) is, without a doubt, one of the most ambitious and significant internet development programs in recent decades. The program is intended to expand high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved homes, businesses and communities across the United States. However, while the intentions of BEAD are noble, internet infrastructure experts are raising some questions about its effectiveness. There are doubts about whether BEAD will be able to operate at scale and withstand growth.
While internet penetration seems ubiquitous in this day and age, that’s not entirely true. The data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the USDA suggest that approximately 22.3% of rural Americans lack access to fixed, terrestrial broadband infrastructure, while independent tracking organizations like BroadbandNow suggest it may be closer to 35%-50% in more isolated communities. And although BEAD’s goal is to change this by expanding fiber networks, experts warn that this might be insufficient, as the program tends to overlook other necessary components of operational networks.
According to Serge Radovcic, an expert in internet infrastructure and digital connectivity, current plans talk more about physical infrastructure, overlooking the “plumbing” behind it, despite the fact that real pressure starts when the network goes live, and customers actually need to be connected. Radovcic has been working at core global and European internet organizations for over 25 years.
“I think the main point is that BEAD is often seen as a build program, but the real pressure starts when the network goes live, and customers actually need to be connected,” he notes.
The world is currently facing an IPv4 shortage. This protocol is the foundational system used to identify devices on a network. The supply of readily available IPv4 addresses is limited, creating a practical challenge for smaller and growing ISPs. IPv4 scarcity does not necessarily prevent customers from being connected, but it can make network growth more complicated and expensive. Providers may need to use CGNAT, deploy IPv6, acquire or lease additional IPv4 resources, or redesign parts of their networks.
“The risk is not so much getting the physical network ready, but for the provider not being fully ready operationally. That could mean slower customer onboarding, more pressure on support teams, more complex network design, and possibly a worse customer experience. Broadband readiness is not only about whether the fiber reaches the home. It is also about whether the operator has the IP resources, network design, and operational capacity to connect real customers once that fiber is live,” says Radovcic.
IPv6 Is Essential, but not a short-term solution
Some suggest that the best way to ensure full internet access for users in rural areas is to adopt the IPv6 protocol. However, while it is clearly a long-term direction, it’s by no means a simple fix. Right now, the internet runs on both IPv4 and IPv6. Lots of services, devices, equipment, and older systems still rely heavily on IPv4.
More importantly, from the customer’s perspective, the underlying protocol is largely irrelevant. They simply expect the internet to work. They just expect the internet to work. That’s why Mr. Radovcic emphasizes that the success of the BEAD program will depend on having the right resources in place before rolling it out.
“IPv6 is essential, but it is not a magic escape route from IPv4 scarcity. For the foreseeable future, broadband providers still need to make sure customers can reach the whole internet, including services and systems that still depend on IPv4,” he says.
On the technical side, that means making sure that the system for sharing IP addresses (CGNAT) is properly designed, that there’s enough capacity to connect with other networks and carry traffic, that routing is set up correctly, and that there are good tools in place for monitoring the network and supporting customers when problems come up.
“For me, the key question is not only, ‘Can we build the network?’ It is, ‘Can we operate the network well once it grows?’ The best time to solve IP resource planning is before the network goes live. If providers wait until customers are ready to connect, every option becomes more expensive, more urgent and more risky,” says Mr. Radovcic.
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About Serge Radovcic
Serge Radovcic has been working at core global and European internet organizations for over 25 years, having spent nine years at RIPE NCC as Chief Communications Officer, and having also worked closely with Regional Internet Registries, ISOC, and other Internet industry organizations on community and ecosystem development. Currently, he serves as a board advisor to several internet companies, including IPXO, the world’s leading IP marketplace.
About IPXO
IPXO is the world’s largest fully automated IP address leasing and monetization platform, with more than 2,000 business clients. The platform currently manages more than 9 million IP addresses worldwide. Since September 2023, the company has been focused on developing a next-generation IP address management and cybersecurity ecosystem. Its goal is to address global challenges in internet infrastructure sustainability, security, and efficiency. The Lithuanian subsidiary, UAB IPXO Hub, currently employs 75 people and operates offices in Kaunas and Vilnius. Learn more at www.ipxo.com.
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