The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to raise broadband internet benchmarks to 100Mbps download speeds and 20Mbps upload speeds.
This is the first time in nearly a decade that the agency has increased its speed requirements, something that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has been pushing for for years.
“This amendment is overdue,” Rosenworcel said in a statement (PDF). “This aligns us with pandemic-related legislation, such as the bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the efforts of our colleagues in other government agencies. It also addresses the extent to which low-income and rural areas are underserved. It also helps us pinpoint more precisely.”
The last time the FCC raised its benchmarks was in 2015, when the required minimum speed increased from 4/1Mbps to 25/3Mbps. At the time, 55 million Americans did not have access to his 25/3Mbps speeds.
According to the latest FCC data (PDF) for December 2022, “45 million Americans lack access to both 100/20Mbps fixed service and 35/3Mbps mobile 5G-NR service.”
The new broadband definition could impact how state and federal funds are used to expand broadband services. Federal law requires the FCC to determine whether “advanced telecommunications capabilities are being deployed to all citizens in a reasonable and timely manner” and to “take immediate steps to accelerate deployment.”
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Its “advanced communication capabilities” are now four times faster than it was a day ago. This higher standard could result in the FCC taking regulatory action to force internet providers to expand access to underserved areas.
The FCC voted 3-2 to adopt the new standards, despite two Republican commissioners voting against it. As recently as 2021, then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stated that the 25/3Mbps standard “allows users to send and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video communications.”
In the age of video conferencing and smart homes, the current FCC has determined that is no longer true. For example, on Zoom he needs an upload speed of at least 3Mbps. The FCC definition takes into account the speed delivered to your home. Most devices are connected via Wi-Fi, so the actual reception speed is not that fast. CNET extensively tested his Wi-Fi routers and found that Wi-Fi is typically only about half as fast as a wired connection. In many cases, the differences are even more pronounced.
The FCC also set long-term goals to increase the benchmark to 1,000 Mbps download and 500 Mbps upload speeds. While this may be faster than most people currently need, it is consistent with a commonly cited rule in the Internet industry called Nielsen’s Law. Nielsen’s Law states that connection speeds for high-end Internet users will increase by about 50% each year, doubling. This observation has been true since his 1983 – every 21 months.
Currently, the average internet speed in the US is 242/31Mbps, compared to 198/23Mbps a year ago. It’s not hard to imagine a future where virtual reality and smart home applications significantly increase bandwidth needs. But for now, the FCC is making sure everyone can at least make video calls.
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