FCC drops gigabit internet speed target, citing unfairness to slower technologies
The FCC has abandoned its goal of setting gigabit speeds as a national broadband benchmark, arguing it unfairly disadvantaged slower technologies, while also removing price considerations from its latest report.
The Federal Communications Commission, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, has released a new broadband deployment report that drops the previous goal of gigabit speeds as a target benchmark for the country, arguing such a standard was unfair to slower but still adequate technologies.
According to the report, as of mid-2025 about 94 percent of Americans had access to fixed wireline broadband at the commission's benchmark speed of 100/20 Mbps. That figure rises to 97 percent when fixed wireless service is included, and to 99.7 percent when satellite service is factored in as well.
However, the report also highlights limited competition: 5.7 percent of US households have no provider offering 100/20 Mbps service at all, while 40.6 percent have access to only a single wired provider at that speed. When fixed wireless is included, 3 percent of households still have no options, and 20 percent have just one.
Price analysis dropped
Unlike the 2024 report produced under the previous, Biden-era FCC leadership, the new report no longer evaluates broadband pricing. The commission argued that the law requires assessing only availability, not adoption, affordability, or equitable access. Still, citing data from broadband industry lobbying groups, the FCC concluded that prices are generally falling.
Chairman Carr said the findings show that the administration's policies and the commission's infrastructure agenda are delivering real results, pointing to rising speeds, falling prices, and intensifying competition.
Commissioner Gomez criticized the decision to exclude affordability from the analysis, saying it is essential to understanding whether broadband access is truly achieving its purpose of connecting people. She also questioned the 99.7 percent availability figure, noting that satellite service, including Starlink, suffers from congestion that varies by region, and that the company has in some areas charged surcharges of up to $1,500 due to high demand.
