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After years of talk, the Federal Communications Commission has officially raised its definition for minimum broadband speeds from 25Mbps to 100Mbps.
On Thursday, the commission voted 3-2 to raise its broadband metric from 25Mbps for downloads and 3Mbps for uploads. Going forward, the FCC will define high-speed broadband as 100Mbps for downloads and 20Mbps for uploads.
“This fix is overdue,” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who added: “It also helps us better identify the extent to which low-income neighborhoods and rural communities are underserved.”
Raising the speed metric is important because it helps the commission determine which areas in the country are receiving adequate internet speeds, and if more government funding is necessary. In 2015, the FCC raised the metric from 4Mbps/1Mbps to 25Mbps/3Mbps. But since then, US senators, government watchdogs, and FCC officials have urged the commission to raise the metric even higher, citing the US’s growing reliance on internet services and apps.
According to FCC data from December 2022, an estimated 45 million Americans “lack access to both 100/20Mbps fixed service and 35/3Mbps mobile 5G-NR service.”
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On Thursday, the commission voted 3-2 to raise its broadband metric from 25Mbps for downloads and 3Mbps for uploads. Going forward, the FCC will define high-speed broadband as 100Mbps for downloads and 20Mbps for uploads.
“This fix is overdue,” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who added: “It also helps us better identify the extent to which low-income neighborhoods and rural communities are underserved.”
Raising the speed metric is important because it helps the commission determine which areas in the country are receiving adequate internet speeds, and if more government funding is necessary. In 2015, the FCC raised the metric from 4Mbps/1Mbps to 25Mbps/3Mbps. But since then, US senators, government watchdogs, and FCC officials have urged the commission to raise the metric even higher, citing the US’s growing reliance on internet services and apps.
According to FCC data from December 2022, an estimated 45 million Americans “lack access to both 100/20Mbps fixed service and 35/3Mbps mobile 5G-NR service.”
FCC Officially Raises Minimum Broadband Metric From 25Mbps to 100Mbps
The commission also sets a long-term goal of raising the broadband metric to 1Gbps for downloads and 500Mbps for uploads.
