Technology
FCC eliminates gigabit broadband speed goal in latest deployment report
The agency removed its long-term benchmark of 1,000Mbps download and 500Mbps upload speeds, citing technological neutrality.
The short version
- The Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Brendan Carr removed its long-term goal of bringing 1,000Mbps download and 500Mbps upload speeds to all Americans.
- The August 14 report describes high-speed broadband as 'often essential' and states that 96.9% of Americans have access to 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload connections.
- Dissenting Commissioner Anna Gomez and outside critics argued that lowering benchmarks favors satellite technology over fiber and reduces emphasis on affordability barriers.
Key facts
- The FCC's August 14 broadband deployment report eliminated its long-term target of 1,000Mbps download and 500Mbps upload speeds.[CNET]
- The report states that 96.9% of Americans have access to broadband meeting the 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload standard adopted in 2024.[CNET]
- Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez dissented from the report, arguing that lowering standards to accommodate specific technologies violates true technological neutrality.[CNET]
- The 2026 report reduced references to broadband affordability to 27 instances, compared to 177 references in the 2024 report.[CNET]
What remains uncertain
- Industry analysts note that broadband availability figures in the report rely on self-reported data from internet service providers, which may overstate actual delivered speeds.[CNET]
- It remains uncertain how removing the gigabit goal will impact future long-term federal funding allocations for rural broadband infrastructure.[CNET]