https://flipnews.co.uk/topics/explainer/ The latest Flip News stories on explainer. en-GB Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:23:24 GMT https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/bead-challenge-process-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/bead-challenge-process-explained/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Before any BEAD money could be awarded, every state had to let its broadband maps be challenged — and correct the errors. Here is how the four-phase challenge process worked, who could take part, and why it matters again now. Tom Ellery BEAD NTIA challenge process explainer unserved underserved NTIA BEAD Challenge Process Policy Notice https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/fibre-fixed-wireless-satellite-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/fibre-fixed-wireless-satellite-explained/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT With all 56 BEAD final proposals approved, the technology split is finally legible: fibre won roughly two-thirds of funded locations, satellite took a fifth, and fixed wireless the rest. Here is what each technology is, why the split looks like this, and what it means for your county. Tom Ellery BEAD NTIA fibre fixed wireless LEO satellite explainer Telecompetitor — updated comprehensive list of NTIA BEAD approvals https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/unserved-underserved-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/unserved-underserved-explained/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT BEAD funding follows a strict order: unserved locations first, underserved second. The two labels are defined by hard speed thresholds — here is what each means, who set them, and why every state just locked its list. Tom Ellery BEAD NTIA unserved underserved explainer FCC NTIA BEAD programme FAQs https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/bead-vs-rdof-caf-reconnect-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/bead-vs-rdof-caf-reconnect-explained/ Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Four federal programmes have poured tens of billions into rural broadband — BEAD, RDOF, CAF, and ReConnect. They differ in who runs them, how the money moves, and how much actually got built. Here's the comparison. Tom Ellery BEAD RDOF CAF ReConnect explainer federal broadband funding FCC — Rural Digital Opportunity Fund https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/what-is-100-20-mbps-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/what-is-100-20-mbps-explained/ Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT 100 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up: that's the FCC's definition of broadband since 2024. Here's what those numbers actually mean for your household, why the benchmark was raised, and how close America is to meeting it. Tom Ellery FCC broadband benchmark explainer 100/20 FCC — 2024 Section 706 Report https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/what-is-bead-explained/ https://flipnews.co.uk/guides/what-is-bead-explained/ Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT BEAD is the largest single broadband investment in US history: $42.45 billion of federal money for states to bring high-speed internet to every unserved home and business. Here's how it works, what changed in 2025, and where it stands now. Tom Ellery BEAD explainer NTIA federal broadband funding NTIA BroadbandUSA — BEAD Program