FCC report finds 68 percent of US broadband connections aren't really broadband

bealtine

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/10/fcc-report-finds-68-percent-of-us-broadband-connections-arent-r/

As the FCC itself has made abundantly clear, the definition of "broadband" is an ever-changing one, and its latest report has now revealed just how hard it is for the US to keep up with those changes. According to the report, a full 68 percent of "broadband" connections in the US can't really be considered broadband, as they fall below the agency's most recent minimum requirement of 4 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. Also notable, but somewhat buried in the report, are the FCC's findings on mobile broadband use. The agency found that mobile wireless service subscribers with mobile devices and "data plans for full internet access" grew a hefty 48% to 52 million in the second half of 2009, and that when you consider all connections over 200 kbps, mobile wireless is actually the leading technology at 39.4 percent, ahead of cable modems and ADSL at 32.4 and 23.3 percent, respectively. When it comes to connections over 3 Mbps, however, cable modems account for a huge 70 percent share. Looking for even more numbers? Hit up the link below for the complete report.

http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db1208/DOC-303405A1.pdf

bealtine

This is the US definition of broadband as set out by the FCC



5 The Commission benchmarked broadband as a transmission service that enables an end user actually to download Internet content at 4 megabits per second (mbps) and to upload Internet content at 1 mbps over the service provider’s network. See Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, and Possible Steps to Accelerate Such Deployment Pursuant to
Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Amended by the Broadband Data Improvement Act, GN Docket Nos. 09-137, 09-51, Report, 25 FCC Rcd 9556, 9563, para. 11 (2010) (Sixth Broadband Deployment Report).

Galen

The Irish government's definition of broadband is anything that keeps the user conned. They'd slip nerve gas down the 'pipe' if they could.

watty

There was a decent Definition. Mr. Ryan may even have been on the committee
in 2004!


The Oireachtas 24th March 2004:Define broadband as a service that provides at least 512Kbs connectivity [2004] and set a target of the widespread availability of 5Mps connections by 2006 and with a further suggested target of 10Mps connections by 2008.
http://broadband.oireachtas.ie/Chapter02.htm
and
http://broadband.oireachtas.ie/Chairmans_Preface.htm

The Joint Committee has concluded, for the Irish market, that speeds of anything less than 512kbs is not broadband but is in fact in a class known as 'mid-band'. This would include such services as ISDN connections and 124 and 256kbs DSL connections. In this respect the Joint Committee's definition of broadband differs from that in use by other groups and significantly differs from the definition currently to be found in Section 8 of the Finance Bill 2004. The Joint Committee believes that all connections at speeds of less than 124kbs, currently the majority in the Irish economy, have to be regarded as narrowband connections.

I have that site "saved" in case it vanishes.
http://www.techtir.ie/forums/internet-faq