Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is asking FCC commissioners to consider opening a new inquiry into raising the minimum speed that the agency considers to be “broadband” from 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads, to 100 Mbps/20 Mbps.
Rosenworcel has circulated a proposal for an inquiry process that would bump up the speed minimum. In addition, her proposal would “set a separate national goal of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps for the future” and also seeks to have the FCC take into consideration “affordability, adoption, availability, and equitable access as part of its determination as to whether broadband is being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion.”
The FCC’s broadband minimum speed standard was last updated in 2015. In particular, the demands on upload speeds have increased since then — for example, the wider use of videoconferencing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“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. “The 25/3 metric isn’t just behind the times, it’s a harmful one 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.”
Last year, a bipartisan group of four senators called upon the FCC to increase the required minimum speed threshold to 100 Mbps symmetrical, meaning that both upload and download speeds should reach that level — something far more achievable on wired networks than wireless ones. And Congress has already moved past the 25/3 Mbps standard when it comes to funding. Federal infrastructure funds that are part of $65 billion in broadband funding passed by Congress are being used to support speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps and up to gigabit-level speeds, but the specific parameters vary depending on the specific program. For instance, $10 billion in broadband funding available through the Treasury Department for capital projects requires that projects support symmetrical 100 Mbps download and upload speeds.
