FCC abolishes gigabit speed goal, suggesting it is unfair to slower technologies
FCC decides 1Gbps is too fast, standard must be "technologically neutral.".
FCC decides 1Gbps is too fast, standard must be "technologically neutral."
The short version
- Though fiber networks have routinely offered such speeds for years, the FCC said the gigabit speed goal is not “technologically neutral,” suggesting that it isn’t fair to other, slower technologies.
- In 2024, the FCC raised its broadband benchmark to 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream, setting the new standard by which to judge whether deployment is reasonable and timely.
- He proposed abolishing it last year, and the change was finalized on August 14 in the FCC’s latest broadband deployment report .
What happened
The reports are mandated by Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act. “We disagree with commenters arguing that our concern about technological neutrality merely serves to accommodate technologies that may currently offer slower speeds,” the FCC said.
Why it matters
“Technological neutrality requires that we evaluate all technologies against the same standard and support the ones that perform best.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.