Last week we noted how the FCC was trying to lower the bar for broadband deployment by declaring that 10 Mbps wireless connections are "good enough." More specifically, FCC boss Ajit Pai is trying to manipulate the standard definition of broadband from the FCC's current fixed-line broadband definition of 25 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up -- to 10 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up. The goal, to reduce criticism of incumbent ISPs, many of which have lagged on network upgrades courtesy of an overall lack of competition.
And if you're Ajit Pai and manipulate the data to imply there is no problem -- you can justify your apathy toward doing nothing about it.
Needless to say, consumers weren't too impressed by the FCC's proposal. Ars Technica notes that more than 300 consumers commented on the FCC's notice of inquiry, the majority of them giving the FCC an earful for trying to lower the bar to ankle height.,
"Y'all are insane," Kevin Lenau of Texas told the FCC in his comment. "How can you possibly believe 10Mbps is broadband or that mobile is an alternative to broadband? Please wake up to 2017 and increase competition and decrease barriers of entry for rural area broadband."
"Wireless Internet connections can in no way replace a wired broadband connection," said Daniel Hoon of Pennsylvania in his comment. "Wired broadband connections provide an always-on Internet connection with no (or very high) data caps as compared to wireless plans. A wireless plan for my family to use Internet at home would cost thousands of dollars per month versus our current payment of $75.00/month."
"My service provider has a 10GB limit, so 10 or 25Mbps it really does not matter," adds William Bennett of Arkansas. "I max out my data after streaming in a few hours. Consider the percentage of people who do not have unlimited data plans in your formula for service speeds."
Unfortunately, agency Pai hasn't shown much interest in listening to actual consumers, as evident by his efforts to kill net neutrality and broadband privacy rules. Incumbent ISPs like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast want to set the broadband deployment bar lower, so that's what Pai will do. Still, you can file your own (polite) comments on the FCC's latest anti-consumer effort
here if you're so inclinced.