FCC Seeks Definition of ‘Broadband’
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 24, 2009 · 
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How should broadband be defined? Well the FCC is asking for your help in answering this fundamental question.
It’s a timely undertaking. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 directs the commission to create a national broadband plan by February 17, 2010.
“The Recovery Act requires the commission to develop a national broadband plan that seeks to ensure access to broadband capability for the entire United States. An understanding of what constitutes ‘broadband’ thus is essential to evaluating the extent to which ‘broadband capability’ is available,” the agency said in a public notice issued last Thursday.
In particular, the FCC is seeking targeted comments on three aspects of this issue: (1) the general form, characteristics and performance indicators that should be included in a definition of broadband; (2) the thresholds that should be assigned to these performance indicators today; and (3) how the definition should be re-evaluated over time.
In the past, the FCC was criticized for using outdated definitions of “high-speed.” Until last year, the FCC defined broadband as Web service that allowed downloads at a speed of at least 200 kbps. Last year, the agency re-defined broadband as service that’s at least 768 kbps.
In related news, the commission announced August 18 that it is launching a new blog called “Blogband” to help stimulate public dialogue regarding the national broadband plan. The blog can be found at http://blog.broadband.gov. There also will be a microblogging platform on Twitter.
Read more in the FCC’s public notice.
Join the debate.
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