Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/03/20/fcc-updates-the-definition-of-broadband.html
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The FCC has increased the minimum size of a “Broadband” connection to 100 Mbps down and 20 up.
OK, so why are we often assured that the FCC has no jurisdiction over things not carried via the ‘air-waves’, and even there limited when the transmission is digital?
“Unfortunately, the FCC does not have jurisdiction over cable networks,” former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said. “In fact, it doesn’t even have jurisdiction over networks like CBS and NBC who use the airwaves.”
of course some of us sorry pilgrims would like to see more internet carrier competition enforced, so… go FCC go! (?)
Broadband <> High speed. There sure is a lot of baseband broadband out there 
I operated reasonably well on 1.5 Mbps for 10 years. We could do two simultaneous video streams over that connection. I’m now running around 10 Mbps but it hasn’t really changed my life much. The only time I notice is when downloading larger files.
When I talked to potential ISPs about an upgraded connection, they said that since they were unable to supply the speeds necessary to qualify as “broadband” to our far-flung rural address, they did not qualify for the grants that would have made installation feasible. The result was that, although they could have provided me with more bandwidth than I could use, I was stuck at 1.5 because of the government’s definition of “broadband”.
Arguably, it isn’t good use of government money installing sub-par connections but it was frustrating to me knowing these thresholds were standing in the way of my access.
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Ahhh, I would love the 25/3 level. I get 11/2, and the plan I have only promises 6 mbps download.
And it is non-negotiable, as the company (Hotwire) has an exclusive deal with my apartment community. I could only bypass it by getting my own dish, which is also conveniently banned by the apt.
It’s nice being a landlord! Not only can they do nearly anything they want with the rent, they get kickbacks from the electricity provider (approaching half the bill), the rent payment service, and the cable/internet provider. When the appliances are performing poorly, they are slow to fix them, since an inefficient A/C means more money for them. Awesome!
Make sure your apt shopping checklist asks these questions.
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I had a house in Japan in the late 2000s and the standard internet connection was 100mbps down and up.
Now I’m here in the rural wilds of Oxfordshire I have 500mbps down and about 80 up. I actually want a symmetric connection, because my job involves shifting lots of data. I used to have 400mbps both ways when I lived in a town supplied by a small company. The large companies consistently provide worse, more expensive connections and worse customer service on worse contracts.
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I’m on tmobile 5g home internet, the shiniest new tech. Today my upstream is 15mbps up so I don’t qualify as broadband. The more things change…
The great thing about Spectrum is that unless you hound them they won’t “up” your connection speed to anything recent. I still have the same 10 down / 3ish up I had when we applied for service a decade ago. Of course they don’t offer that plan anymore and yet I’m paying nearly the same as the current 300 down plan.
AT&T rolled fiber out through our neighborhood not too long ago. It’s about time for a change.
Now I understand why Comcast so (ahem) “generously” recently increased my upload speed to 20Mbps after being stuck at 10Mbps for about 10 years and 5Mbps before that. 
Bless their hearts.
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