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FCC Officially Approves Change In the Definition of Broadband

Posted by timothy on from the seven-with-one-blow dept.

halfEvilTech writes As part of its 2015 Broadband Progress Report, the Federal Communications Commission has voted to change the definition of broadband by raising the minimum download speeds needed from 4Mbps to 25Mbps, and the minimum upload speed from 1Mbps to 3Mbps, which effectively triples the number of U.S. households without broadband access. Currently, 6.3 percent of U.S. households don't have access to broadband under the previous 4Mpbs/1Mbps threshold, while another 13.1 percent don't have access to broadband under the new 25Mbps downstream threshold.

4 of 430 comments (clear)

  1. Re:That doesn't sound bad by zlives · · Score: 4, Informative

    problem is typically there is only one provider offering this, cable, utilities have been sitting on their asses enjoying govt subsidies at 4 mb/download without working to improve the speed. there is no competition in US, the home of the free market.

  2. Re:That doesn't sound bad by Orestesx · · Score: 4, Informative

    So, if I get this right, 80% of the US Americans have at least 25MB/s download.

    No. 80% of Americans HAVE ACCCESS TO 25 Mb download. As in they have the option to subscribe to. They may not be able to afford it, or they may choose not to subscribe, or they may be choosing to subscribe to a lower tier.

  3. Re:What are the practical results of this? by ganjadude · · Score: 5, Informative
    why does everyone always talk about the koch brothers when the facts are the dems get just as much money from their rich friends and their rich friends PACs?? Hell this past year, liberal PACs brought in even more money than the conservative PACs! http://sunlightfoundation.com/...

    In a reversal from 2012, liberal billionaires top the list of biggest super PAC donors with a little more than two weeks to go before Election Day. Three of the top five givers lean Democrat, while the king of unlimited money mountain — environmental crusader Tom Steyer of California — is lapping the competition, a Sunlight analysis finds.

    also note, neither kochs make the top 10 donor list

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  4. Re:What are the practical results of this? by Holi · · Score: 3, Informative

    Investors money my ass. Do you know how much tax payer money has been given to the telecoms for the very purpose of implementing broadband nationwide? We've already paid them and so far got very little in return. You want to keep government out of it then be prepared to keep paying more and getting less.

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