FCC changes legal definition of 'broadband' to 25 Mbps/3 Mbps

[Srgnt_Ballistic]

Source: Engadget

Author: Chris Velazco

Original Source: FCC.gov
 

"FCC more than quintuples the legal definition of 'broadband'"

 

In a 3-2 decision the Federal Communications Commission has voted to change the legal definition of "Broadband" from 4 Mbps down/1Mbps up to 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up. This is more than a 5x increase to speeds services providers will need to offer in order to apply to use the label.

 

 The FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable

 

 

Engadget states the average American receives a paltry 11 Mbps down and after this decision some 17 percent of Americans no longer have what is legally defined as "Broadband" internet.

This seems to be somewhat of a middle ground decision as the commissioner of the FCC, Jessica Rosenworcel, has stated that she believes the definition, "frankly, should be 100 Mbps." This still seems to be a great move in the right direction.

 

Image Credit: Statista

Engadget pointed out that the FCC has no power to force ISPs to increase their speeds based on this decision. However, it could have implications in regards to subsidies the government provides to ISPs in the name of increasing broadband infrastructure and expansion.

I myself now barely fall into the "Broadband" definition based on the 25 Mbps/4 Mbps speeds provided by Comcast in my area. Could this help the US move up the list of countries with the fast Broadband internet speeds?

[AlwaysFSX]

A three to two decision... I want to know the two dumbasses that voted against raising the defintion.

[EarthboundHero]

Maybe my ISP will up my speed for free. Probably not.

[Brainless906]

Woo! Barely but it passed. Don't know how much this will actually do but definitely a step in the right direction. A very small step...but a step nontheless 

[TheGamingBarrel]

UK Is at around 666.

[AlwaysFSX]

Maybe my ISP will up my speed for free. Probably not.

No, they'll just relabel you from broadband.

[EarthboundHero]

No, they'll just relabel you from broadband.

Probably, I already got above broadband previously. Now I'm quite a bit below.

[Padunkadunk]

Maybe my ISP will up my speed for free. Probably not.

Doubt it. Your service will probably just be renamed to some some marketing play on narrowband.

[AlwaysFSX]

Doubt it. Your service will probably just be renamed to some some marketing play on narrowband.

"Notsobroad band"

[Sidiox]

YES, this is really good. I no longer have broadband internet though, with my meager 4Mbps. I really hope that this will inspire ISP's to do something about their terribleness

[pspfreak]

My service is no longer defined as broadband now! 20/2

[NateGSR117]

Nice, and for the two who voted against it should have their Internet slowed to 4/1mbps and see how they like watching their Netflix/youtube on that.

*can't seem to type today

[Srgnt_Ballistic]

A three to two decision... I want to know the two dumbasses that voted against raising the defintion.

Still politics man. Revolving door. Work for Comcast for 5 years -> get put on the FCC -> vote in favor of pro-telecom decisions -> Get cushier job at Comcast -> go back to FCC -> Join telecom Lobby group.

Repeat until your bank account size makes up for all other inadequacies.

[pspfreak]

Whats sad is our cable modem is over 10 years old... and they just replaced our previous one last year due to lightning strike. 

[Guest]

The fastest my net ever gets is still a sixth of the definition of broadband. Damn satellite!

[DeViLzzz]

Hopefully the Canadian Federal Government takes notice and sees the statement that has been made by the US.  Seriously eventually it will get to a point where they can't sell lower speeds to others except at a much more discounted rate.  People want broadband and not something less.  Canada is pretty much the US as we follow their lead in many ways and are their whipping boy so I hope that in this situation our government follows what the US has done.

[Nineshadow]

There's something odd with those speeds.They are very low everywhere.

http://www.netindex.com/download/allcountries/

[Oshino Shinobu]

YES, this is really good. I no longer have broadband internet though, with my meager 4Mbps. I really hope that this will inspire ISP's to do something about their terribleness

Well, this is for the US, as it's decided by the FCC. So for those of us outside of the US, it's still the same. (I think, at least)

[Sidiox]

Well, this is for the US, as it's decided by the FCC. So for those of us outside of the US, it's still the same. (I think, at least)

I know, but usually the rest of the Western World follows the US, unfortunatly in most cases. I hope they will now too.

 

Edit:

I just did a quick google search, and apperantly the definition of broadband here in the NL folllows that of the FCC (or maybe the OESO, it isn't clear, and the OESO has defined it as 0.256 Mbps down.....)

[qwertywarrior]

they cant force them

but ISPs cant call it broadband if its under 25

[Linus_torvalds]

I have 100 Mbit/s for as low as 5$, FUCK yeah

[kpreg]

Yay?

[Oshino Shinobu]

I know, but usually the rest of the Western World follows the US, unfortunatly in most cases. I hope they will now too.

 

Edit:

I just did a quick google search, and apperantly the definition of broadband here in the NL folllows that of the FCC (or maybe the OESO, it isn't clear, and the OESO has defined it as 0.256 Mbps down.....)

Well, even if the definition doesn't change, hopefully ISPs in other regions will start upping their speeds. I'm lucky to have 15/2 at the moment. 

[Victorious Secret]

I'm less concerned with download speeds as I am with upload, as thats become my limiting factor for some of the things I need to do. At my current speeds, its faster to put my content onto a SSD and simply drive it over to the persons house than it is to upload. 

[TroubleKlef]

Not going to change much. Just going to name it "1337 light-speed" now.