SpaceX is protesting Virginia’s $613 million plan to expand high-speed internet access, accusing the state of deliberately denying a larger slice of the subsidies to Starlink. “Simply put, Virginia has put its heavy thumb on the scale in favor of expensive, slow-to-build fiber bias over speedy, low cost, and technology neutral competition,” SpaceX told the state’s government. “Virginia must immediately revise its final proposal to appropriately consider applications received in line with program rules." The dispute involves the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, a $42.5 billion fund to provide high-speed internet in underserved areas. In June, the Trump administration overhauled the program to shift away from prioritizing fiber installations in favor of “technology neutrality,” opening the door for satellite internet services and fixed wireless to receive more federal funding from each state’s BEAD program. But despite the policy change, Virginia’s recently ann...