US federal communication commission proposes a major boost in minimum broadband speeds. The commission now plans a path to gigabit broadband.
US Federal Communication Commission Proposes a Major Boost in Minimum Broadband Speeds
Reports claim that the US federal communication commission wants to boost the minimum broadband standard by quadrupling it in the US. The commission also believes that gigabit speeds should now be the long-term target.
Chairwoman of the FCC, Jessica Rocenworcel said that the current standard of 25mbps download speed and 3mbps upload determined back in 2015 was no longer enough to support the various applications that are needed by Americans for work, entertainment, and their day-to-day lives.
She has also issued a ‘notice of inquiry’ accordingly to initiate the FCC’s annual elevation of the state broadband.
What The Notice of Inquiry Proposes – US Broadband
The notice of inquiry proposes to elevate the minimum standard to 100mbps upload speeds and 20mbps download. The main intention here is to achieve 1Gbps and 500mbps in the nearest future.
Rosenworce said ‘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.’
“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,’ she added. “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.”
UK Residents Have the Legal Right to Request for Decent Connection
Every home and business in the UK already has the legal right to request for a decent connection of at least 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload speed which is part of the universal service obligation (USO). Many people already receive speeds that are very much faster than this. All the while, the government plans to review the minimum standard with time.
