FCC Takes America's Broadband Pulse

Speed Matters has long urged the FCC to report on actual, as opposed to advertised, broadband speeds. On August 1, 2011, the FCC released, Measuring Broadband America, a first-ever comprehensive report on U.S. residential wireline broadband service.

The study examined service offerings from 13 of the largest wireline broadband providers [which provide 86 percent of all broadband service] using automated, direct measurements of broadband performance delivered to the homes of thousands of volunteers during March 2011.

The FCC study found:

"On average, during peak periods DSL-based services delivered download speeds that were 82 percent of advertised speeds, cable-based services delivered 93 percent of advertised speeds, and fiber-to-the-home services delivered 114 percent of advertised speeds."

The fact that fiber-to-the-home is the only technology that delivers not only advertised speeds — but even better — underscores the importance of building out higher-speed wired networks throughout our nation.

Most consumers — 80 percent according to an FCC survey — don't know their broadband speeds. By measuring non-mobile technologies — digital subscriber line (DSL), cable, and fiber-to-the-home — the FCC was able to examine whether people get the speeds that the broadband providers claim they are providing. 

Investigators found that broadband speeds vary by as much as 20 percent from the advertised rates, and there is still a good deal of variability among providers and even at different times. For instance, the report noted that "performance during the day is not consistent for most technologies. During idle periods there is more capacity available for the consumer, while at peak periods, with many consumers online, available capacity per consumer diminishes."

The FCC hopes that this report will improve service and performance and also proposes a national, standardized set of broadband measurements, a move which CWA supports.

Consumers who want to test their broadband speed can go to speedmatters.org. Speed Matters has offered a consumer speed test for over five years, issuing an annual report on broadband speeds in the 50 states.

Measuring Broadband America (FCC)

2010 Report on Internet Speeds in All 50 States (Speed Matters)