[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I genuinely don't remember this. Where can I read/learn more?

From 2015:
AT&T grudgingly accepts $428 million in annual government funding | Ars Technica

AT&T has struck a deal with the US government to get nearly $428 million per year to bring 10Mbps Internet service to parts of rural America after protesting that it shouldn't have to provide speeds that fast.

The money comes from the Connect America Fund, which draws from surcharges on Americans' phone bills to pay for rural Internet service. AT&T accepted the money even though it argued last year that rural customers don't need Internet service better than the old standard of 4Mbps downstream and 1Mbps upstream. The FCC ignored AT&T's protests in December, raising the Connect America Fund download standard to 10Mbps while leaving the 1Mbps requirement unchanged.

From 2017:
Rural broadband subsidy programs are a failure. We need to fix them. | TheHill

FCC begins scaling back internet subsidies for low-income homes - The Verge