FCC issues 7th Notice of Inquiry on Broadband

FCCThe FCC has issued its 7th Notice of Inquiry on Broadband.

The 2010 Sixth Broadband Deployment Report defined broadband as “a transmission service that actually enables an end user to download content at speeds of at least 4 megabits per second (Mbps) and to upload content at speeds of at least 1 Mbps ”. Under this definition somewhere between 14 million and 24 million Americans are unserved .

Among other details, the 7th NOI asks:

  • Is the current definition of broadband service the correct one?
  • Should “broadband” and the statutory term “advanced telecommunications capacity” be treated synonymously?
  • How should the Commission interpret the word “available” for purposes of broadband service? Is affordability a component of broadband availability?
  • Should broadband data be analyzed on a census tract or county basis?
  • Should the Commission’s analysis of broadband availability take into account other ways in which it is available, such as through schools and Wi-Fi hotspots?

Comments are due September 7, 2010, and reply comments on October 5 2010

[Source: CommLawBlog]