FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed raising national minimum broadband speed standards. On Friday, she circulated to her colleagues for a vote a Notice of Inquiry that would begin the agency’s annual evaluation of the state of broadband across the country.
“The needs of internet users long ago surpassed the FCC’s 25/3 speed metric, especially during a global health pandemic that moved so much of life online,” said Rosenworcel. She said the metric “isn’t just behind the times, it’s harmful because it masks the extent to which low-income neighborhoods and rural communities are being left behind and left offline. That’s why we need to raise the standard for minimum broadband speeds now and while also aiming even higher for the future, because we need to set big goals if we want everyone everywhere to have a fair shot at 21st century success.”
The Notice of Inquiry proposes to increase the national broadband standard to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, and discusses a range of evidence supporting this standard, including the requirements for new networks funded by the Infrastructure Law. The FCC previously set the broadband standard at 25/3 Mbps in 2015, and has not updated it since.
The Notice of Inquiry proposes to set a separate national goal of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps for the future. Looking beyond speed, Rosenworcel also proposes that the Commission consider affordability, adoption, availability, and equitable access as part of its determination as to whether broadband is being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion.
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