FCC Abolishes Gigabit Broadband Speed Goal, Declares Current Deployment Acceptable
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has eliminated its previously established gigabit speed goal for broadband. The agency now considers the current level of broadband deployment in the US to be acceptable.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has abolished the gigabit speed goal that was established during the Biden administration, stating that current broadband deployment levels in the United States are now considered acceptable.
In 2024, the FCC had raised its benchmark for broadband to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, setting a new standard to judge whether deployment is reasonable and timely. At the time, the FCC also set a long-term speed goal of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload, intended as a guidepost for deployment efforts.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had opposed the long-term gigabit goal, proposing its abolition last year. The change was finalized on August 14 in the FCC's latest broadband deployment report. The FCC stated the gigabit goal was not "technologically neutral" and was unfair to slower technologies.
The reports are mandated by Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act, requiring the FCC to assess broadband availability and speed across the US.