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FCC Report: ISPs Still Struggling to Deliver Advertised Speeds
Though Verizon FiOS and Cablevision Exceed Claims

The FCC has released their latest report exploring whether broadband ISPs are delivering the speeds they promised. Last time you'll recall the report singled out Cablevision for failing to deliver advertised speeds during peak hours, something that resulted in the company significantly improving service without the FCC having to wield the regulatory hammer. The first report noted that most ISPs delivered actual download speeds within 80 percent of advertised speeds#&46 This year, the report found that most ISPs delivered speeds within 90 percent of advertised speeds.

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The problem for many ISPs continues to be the ability to keep delivering promised speeds during peak usage hours, which typically fall between 8 and 10 PM. This time around, Cablevision came out on top alongside of Verizon FiOS for meeting or exceeding advertised speeds during peak hours. Companies like Frontier, which has far less competitive incentive to upgrade their network, suffered significantly at delivering speeds during peak hours (see chart, right).

Having taken a beating the last go round, Cablevision was quick to issue a press release crowing that the report found their Optimum Online base service delivered 128 percent of advertised speeds during peak weekday hours. Verizon was also quick to draw attention to the findings. It's unlikely that Frontier's PR department will be issuing a press release on the fact their lines struggle to deliver 75% of advertised speeds, the only ISP that was actually worse than last year. Verizon also omits mentioning the mediocre showing of their DSL lines.

The FCC notes that things have improved not only due to network improvements, but also thanks to more realistic top speed promises made in ads. Still, the report found that just four out of the fourteen measured ISPs could actually offer speeds as fast as are claimed in the companies advertisements.

The report pulls its data from a variety of sources, including custom routers at consumer homes that are monitored and tracked by UK reporting firm SamKnows (many of our readers are participants). The full report is absolutely worth a read for data junkies, and offers a universe of data broken down by carrier and delivery technology.