“I think our new threshold, frankly, should be 100Mbps. I think anything short of that shortchanges our children, our future, and our new digital economy.” That’s what FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel argued nine years ago — now, it’s finally happening.
- Home
- Technology
- News
The FCC has finally decreed that 25Mbps and 3Mbps are not ‘broadband’ speed
The FCC has changed its definition of “broadband” to mean download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps. It had been stuck at 25Mbps/3Mbps since 2015.


Today, the FCC has changed its definition of “broadband” to mean download speeds of 100 megabits per second and upload speeds of 20 megabits per second. It had been stuck at 25Mbps/3Mbps since 2015. As recently as 2021, outgoing FCC chairman Ajit Pai claimed we still didn’t need more than that.
These definitions matter, because they let the FCC report whether it’s failing or succeeding to close the broadband gap — and how much to regulate (or throw money at) broadband providers to spread decent internet across the United States.
In this case, the money came first: the FCC writes that it based the standard on what federal and state funding grants are already requiring, as well as “consumer usage patterns, and what is actually available from and marketed by internet service providers.”
Whether 100Mbps and 20Mbps meet your personal definition of “decent” likely depends on where you’ve lived: today, the FCC says almost 28 percent of Americans in rural areas don’t have even that much wired internet available to them. Megabits per second of bandwidth is just one factor in internet access, too — there’s also price and latency.
Here are a few more stats about the broadband gap from the FCC’s press release today:
Fixed terrestrial broadband service (excluding satellite) has not been physically deployed to approximately 24 million Americans, including almost 28% of Americans in rural areas, and more than 23% of people living on Tribal lands
Mobile 5G-NR coverage has not been physically deployed at minimum speeds of 35/3 Mbps to roughly 9% of all Americans, to almost 36% of Americans in rural areas, and to more than 20% of people living on Tribal lands
45 million Americans lack access to both 100/20 Mbps fixed service and 35/3 Mbps mobile 5G-NR service
Based on the new 1 Gbps per 1,000 students and staff short-term benchmark for schools and classrooms, 74% of school districts meet this goal
The new definition was pushed through by the FCC’s Democratic majority, something it hasn’t had for the majority of President Biden’s term in office. The FCC spent years completely deadlocked without its full five commissioners, until Anna Gomez was finally confirmed by the Senate last September.
Gold prices hit historic highs amid global economic concerns
- 13 hours ago
Army Chief stresses need for national unity in fight against terrorism
- 7 hours ago

Dollar surges as forex markets struggle amid IMF delays, economic pressures
- 11 hours ago
Somali militants attack presidential convoy, president escapes unhurt
- 7 hours ago

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to meet on March 30 for Shawwal moon sighting
- 10 hours ago

Mustafa Amir murder case: Father and son clash in court during case hearing
- 12 hours ago

JI chief offers help for Afghanistan talks, slams govt’s approach to national security
- 13 hours ago

Flatiron Books says it will keep publishing book from ex-Meta employee
- 41 minutes ago

Pakistan vows full force against terrorism in recent security meeting
- 10 hours ago
Virtual learning introduced at Balochistan universities amid growing security risks
- 8 hours ago

Nagpur riots: Hindu extremist group demands destruction of Aurangzeb's tomb
- 13 hours ago

Sindh announces holiday for educational institutions on March 22
- 10 hours ago