● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 negative
FCC eliminates gigabit broadband speed goal, citing technological neutrality concerns
Key points
- FCC eliminated the gigabit broadband speed goal.
- The goal was deemed not "technologically neutral."
- The current broadband benchmark is 100Mbps download/20Mbps upload.
- The change was finalized on August 14.
- The eliminated goal was gigabit download and half-gigabit upload speeds.
- The decision signals reduced ambition for future internet infrastructure development.
- Chairman Brendan Carr killed the long-term broadband speed goals.
- The goals were established during the Biden administration.
FCC Abolishes Gigabit Speed Goal
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently eliminated the gigabit speed goal for broadband, a target previously set during the Biden administration. This decision was finalized on August 14 in the FCC's latest broadband deployment report, which is mandated by Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act.
Reasoning for the Change
The FCC stated that the gigabit speed goal was not "technologically neutral," implying it was unfair to slower technologies. Republican Brendan Carr, the current FCC chairman, had proposed abolishing this long-term goal last year. The FCC's order explicitly stated that a long-term goal is not mentioned in Section 706 and could violate the obligation to conduct analysis in a technologically neutral manner, also noting the impossibility of predicting future technological developments and consumer preferences.
Impact on Slower Technologies
The FCC had previously suggested that the gigabit goal might be "unreasonably prejudicial" to technologies such as satellite and fixed wireless, which do not currently support such speeds. Industry groups like NCTA (cable) and CTIA (wireless) submitted comments supporting the abolition of the long-term goal. However, the FCC clarified that the goal was not eliminated solely to benefit providers of slower technology.
Current Broadband Benchmarks
In 2024, the FCC raised its broadband benchmark to 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream. This new standard is now used to assess whether broadband deployment in the US is considered reasonable and timely. The previous long-term goal was 1Gbps download speeds paired with 500Mbps upload speeds, intended as a guidepost for evaluating deployment efforts.
Updates
- The eliminated goal was gigabit download and half-gigabit upload speeds.
- The decision signals reduced ambition for future internet infrastructure development.
- Chairman Brendan Carr killed the long-term broadband speed goals.
- The goals were established during the Biden administration.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has abandoned its long-term broadband speed goals that aimed for gigabit download and half-gigabit upload speeds. This decision follows the FCC's recent update to the broadband standard from 25/3 Mbps to 100/20 Mbps in 2024, and it matters because it signals a reduced ambition for future nationwide internet infrastructure development.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has abolished the gigabit speed goal for broadband, which was established during the Biden administration. The FCC stated that the gigabit goal was not "technologically neutral" and could be prejudicial to slower technologies like satellite and fixed wireless, despite fiber networks routinely offering such speeds.