FCC rethinks broadband

The Federal Communications Commission has finally agreed to a new 768 kbps minimum for broadband, up from the current 200 kbps. The announcement to review the broadband standard--and to more precisely map broadband deployment--came after releasing new broadband deployment figures revealing a sharp jump in broadband usage.

The FCC figures showed at mid-2007 the U.S. had more than 100 million so-called broadband lines, an increase of 35 million broadband lines. Of the 101 million lines, 66 million were for residences. Half of all lines were cable modems underlining how quickly the cable providers have eaten into traditional telco territory.

But in an interview with the International Herald Tribune EU telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding pointed to figures showing Europe was ahead in broadband league table. According to Reading, eight European countries have greater broadband penetration than the U.S.

Netherlands and Scandinavia enjoyed broadband to nearly 35 percent of population. The U.S. rated 15th with 20 percent of the population serviced by broadband, based on OECD figures. She said half of the EU could match the United States in broadband penetration by 2010, if regulators took a tough stance to pry markets open.

The definition of what broadband is, got a pragmatic response in a survey commissioned by Tellabs of 450 readers of two telco publications, FierceWireless and Telephony. An overwhelming 94 percent of respondents of the Tellab survey [1] said the current U.S. definition of broadband does not deliver a true broadband experience. The vast majority of respondents (84 percent) said a better definition of broadband is a service that can deliver high-quality streaming video.

Some 89 percent thought lack of broadband access hurts individual's educational, productivity and employment potential. Four out of five said America should use some of the current Universal Service Fund to expand rural broadband.
  
For more:
- Industry professionals dissatisfied with broadband availability and definition Tellabs Survey [1]
- FCC Broadband June 2007 Deployment Report [2] (pdf)
- FCC Broadband Release [3]
- FCC to remap broadband Article [4]

Related articles:
Broadband wireless up 154 percent Article [5]
Zettabyte flood predicted for 2015 Article [6]