FCC Qs in Search of As


WASHINGTON — The Federal
Communications Commission
signaled in its notice of inquiry for
the ninth annual state of broadband
report that it might have to make
some changes to its methodology,
given advances in the advanced
telecommunications technologies on
which it is reported.

Here are just some of the
questions it raises that it wants
communications providers to weigh
in on:

1. The FCC said, “it may be appropriate
to hold that access to both fixed
and mobile broadband is necessary for
broadband to be available … that reasonable
and timely deployment would
exist only to the extent that both fixed
and mobile capabilities are becoming

2. “Should we raise the 4 [Megabits
per second]/1 Mbps speed threshold for
fi xed terrestrial broadband services” to
accommodate high-definition video and
other advanced services?”

3. The FCC has set a goal of
actual download and upload speeds of
100 Mbps and 50 Mpbs, respectively,
by 2020. It asks whether it should
make affordability part of that

4. Should the FCC consider using
data-capacity benchmarks and weigh
the impact on uptake of usage-based
pricing when deciding how available
advanced broadband is?

5. Should the FCC consider advanced
telecommunications to be available
only where there is both fixed and
wireless broadband, and should there
be different speed thresholds for each