As we mentioned yesterday, and predicted in August, the FCC's request to more clearly define what broadband is isn't as easy as it sounds. Consumer groups want the bar set rather high. ISPs, who don't want their network shortcomings highlighted, want the bar rather low. While yesterday we mentioned that the cable industry thinks 768kbps/200kbps is just peachy as a definition, AT&T and Verizon are also just fine with a very low bar, according to Reuters:Comcast, in contrast to their popular Slowskys ad campaign that mocks the sluggish speeds of DSL, apparently thinks the bar should be ever lower:Verizon, the NCTA and AT&T meanwhile argue that defining broadband as anything other than 768kbps/200kbps would be too confusing -- given that's what the NTIA is using as a definition as it seeks to deploy more than $4 billion in broadband stimulus funds. Of course since the largest carriers aren't applying for those funds (unlike 2,200 other organizations) they shouldn't have to worry about it.

Update: Comcast has provided us with their full statement to the FCC (pdf). While Comcast does declare that the "basic" broadband speed be considered to be 200 kbps, the company also wants to define "current" broadband as 600 kbps down and 500 kbps up, while "next generation" service is defined as 12 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up.

Update 2: See Verizon's response to this post, and our response to Verizon. While the company insists they're not setting the bar low, we'll have to repeat ourselves: yes, they are.