Internet/Broadband

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the January 2022 Open Commission Meeting:

AT&T CEO John Stankey revealed the operator is conducting market tests of a multi-gig fiber service and plans to capitalize on an industry shift to bundled connectivity. Stankey stated rising bandwidth demand for use cases like video will require a robust fixed connection and highlighted a positive consumer response to a multi-gig fiber pilot it is running.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs released the Alabama Broadband Map, the official broadband map for the state of Alabama.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel reflected on the accomplishments of the agency in 2021. The chairwoman highlighted a number of programs, funding opportunities, auctions and new initiatives enacted by the FCC, including:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to 12 members of Congress on December 13, 2021, regarding the July 2021 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on small business broadband speed needs. "I do not believe the FCC’s current speed benchmark for broadband, 25 megabits per second download and 3 megabits per second download, is adequate," said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. "As GAO points out, the FCC’s speed benchmark has remained at 25/3 Mbps since 2015, despite major changes in demand for broadband in the intervening years.

New research shows high-level broadband data for each US state, offering a visual representation of average maximum broadband download speeds available in each county in the state, along with state-wide changes in availability, adoption, and speed time.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to Rep Brian Higgins (D-NY)'s letter asking for a progress update on the agency's broadband data collection process. Rosenworcel's response noted the formation of the Broadband Data Task Force, progress on the new Broadband Data Collection systems and processes, work on the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric, and the FCC's efforts to encourage people to use its Speed Test app as part of the agency's Measuring Broadband America program.

This research, performed by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA), shows that fiber broadband now passes over 60.5 million homes in the US alone—a 12 percent growth in 2021. The increase in deployments can be attributed to the fact that fiber continues to score higher than any other broadband technology—such as cable, satellite or wireless—in terms of capacity, reliability, latency and customer satisfaction. The study also revealed that 43 percent of US households and 60 percent of Canadian households now have access to fiber.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau addressed seven requests for waivers of the $400 maximum reasonable support amount for connected devices reimbursed through the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program. The bureau found five of the petitioners demonstrated special circumstances that justify a waiver of the $400 support amount cap for connected devices. The bureau denied the remaining two requests, finding the petitioners failed to present special circumstances to justify a waiver.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to House Republicans' letter regarding state and federal net neutrality laws. The GOP letter—dated April 16, 2021 and led by Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Bob Latta (R-OH) as well as 24 others—addressed the Justice Department's withdrawal of its 2018 lawsuit against California for passing its own net neutrality regulations and Rosenworcel's support of the decision.