Senators Reckon FCC's National Broadband Plan Puts US In Second Tier Of Countries

There aren't many broadband users in the US that don't want more speed. While many nations around the world boast very fast broadband networks that are available to large portions of the population, most of us here in America only have access to slow connections.

Obama and the FCC are working on a national broadband plan with the goal of getting 100 million homes on 100Mbps connections by 2020. Some US Senators are now asking the FCC if its goals are too modest. Senator Daniel Inouye asked FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, "What is the FCC's rationale for a vision that appears to be firmly rooted in the second tier of countries?"

The thing about the national broadband plan that bothers the senators is that the 100Mbps speeds will be limited to larger urban areas. Those living in rural locations can hope for 4Mbps connections at best. Genachowski says that the broadband plan goals are "aggressive" and the plan will reevaluate the 4Mbps target ever year or so. He also points out that the median speed of broadband purchased today is 4Mbps. The question in my mind on that statement is if the reason that is the media speed purchased because that is the best that many Americans can get affordably.