The FCC yesterday approved raising the national download speed benchmark to 100 Mbps and upload speeds to 20 Mbps. This is a significant improvement over the current standard of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. The FCC does rule that 5G service can be considered high-speed if it offers 35 Mbps downlink speeds and 3 Mbps uplink speeds.
With this change, the FCC announced that 45 million Americans still lack access to high-speed internet through fixed lines like cable or fiber optics or even wireless providers like 5G home internet.
The ruling has a major impact on the FCC’s funding to help internet providers deliver high-speed internet to rural America. To participate, ISPs now need to meet new 100 Mbps downstream speeds and 20 Mbps upstream speeds to receive funding for cable projects. This should help force ISPs to offer faster internet in the future.
The FCC report breaks down the current state of high-speed internet in the United States:
- Fixed terrestrial broadband service (excluding satellite) has not yet been physically deployed to approximately 24 million Americans, including nearly 28% of Americans in rural areas and more than 23% of those living on tribal lands;
- Mobile 5G-NR coverage has not yet been physically deployed at minimum 35/3 Mbps speeds to approximately 9% of Americans, nearly 36% of Americans in rural areas, and more than 20% of the population on tribal lands;
- 45 million Americans lack access to 100/20 Mbps fixed and 35/3 Mbps mobile 5G-NR services; and
- Based on the new short-term benchmark of 1 Gbps per 1,000 students and staff in schools and classrooms, 74% of school districts met this goal.
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