FCC releases updated internet access data

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently updated its statistics on high speed Internet connections, drawn from data collected through December 31st, 2006. The data show that broadband buildout is accelerating, but may be hitting a wall in rural areas.

High population density has a positive association with reports that high-speed subscribers are present, and low population density has an inverse association. For example, high-speed subscribers were reported to be present in more than 99% of the most densely populated Zip Codes and in 90% of Zip Codes with the lowest population densities.

The comparable figure for the lowest-density Zip Codes was 88% a year earlier.

As we've noted before, the FCC defines defines a "high speed" Internet connection as 200 kbps in one direction, so many of these connections may not allow access to video and other applications that require truly high speeds.  In rural areas the only available connection may be via satellite which can be expensive, slow, and unreliable.

And while the FCC reports that the number of high speed lines jumped from 51 million in December 2005 to 83 million in December 2006, 19 million of those lines were "mobile wireless" or cell phone connections.  It's great that people can access internet content on their cell phones, but those connections can't provide the same kind of telemedicine, distance learning and other life changing applications that true high speed internet connections can.

High-Speed Services for Internet Access: Status as of December 31, 2006 (FCC)

Better than dial-up, but not good enough (Speed Matters)

Defining "High Speed" (SpeedMatters)

House committee is unanimous: Speed matters (SpeedMatters)

SpeedMatters