FCC Proposes to Redefine Broadband

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says 25Mbps is no longer fast enough to count as "broadband." It's proposed increasing the standard to 100Mbps for downloads.

The figures matter because the "broadband speed standard" is the measure the FCC uses to assess whether broadband is becoming available "on a reasonable and timely basis" to the entire US population.

If it isn't, the FCC has the authority - and legal responsibility - to take action to correct the shortfall. This could include changing rules to promote competition or make it easier for companies to invest in new infrastructure.

This can happen in two main scenarios: cities with a monopoly broadband provider, and rural areas where Internet providers don't think they'll make enough money to make it worth their while to install or upgrade a broadband network.

Uploads Also Assessed

The current FCC definition of broadband, set in 2015, is 25Mbps for downloads and 3Mbps for uploads. The main argument for updating that figure is changing usage, particularly with streaming video. That's partly because getting television and other video services is now common (often with multiple users streaming at once) and partly because of the boom in videoconferencing and remote working during the pandemic.

While her predecessor had rejected calls to increase the threshold in the official definition, FCC chairman Jessica Rosenworcel has now proposed new figures of 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads.

That's the same threshold used in the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which awarded government subsidies for broadband expansion projects that would otherwise not have commercially viable. (Source: arstechnica.com)

Cost Also Matters

Rosenworcel also proposed a "future" national goal of 1Gbps uploads and 500 Mbps for downloads but didn't suggest any timetable.

According to Rosenworcel, it's not just a matter of speed when it comes to assessing broadband availability. She suggests that the FCC should also take into account how affordable broadband is across the country. She hasn't proposed any specific figures for what counts as affordable, or methods for calculating such a figure.

She also said the end goal is that every US resident should have access to affordable high-speed Internet, saying "anything short of 100% is just not good enough." (Source: fcc.gov)

What's Your Opinion?

Should the definition of broadband be revised? Is 100 Mbps a reasonable threshold? Should officials take affordability into account when assessing broadband availability?