Broadband Performance: Additional Actions Could Help FCC Evaluate Its Efforts to Inform Consumers

The Federal Communications Commission, which has primary responsibility for regulating broadband, has taken steps to measure broadband performance and to require that Internet service providers give consumers information about the performance of their services. GAO was asked to review issues related to broadband performance information. This report examines (1) broadband performance information available to consumers and its limitations, if any, and 2) FCC's actions to evaluate its efforts to provide consumers with broadband performance information. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed FCC proceedings, conducted a literature review, analyzed comments filed with FCC regarding broadband performance information, and interviewed FCC officials and various stakeholders from industry and public interest groups. GAO recommends that the FCC should take additional steps to evaluate its efforts to provide consumers with broadband performance information. This should include:

1. Conducting or commissioning research on the effectiveness of its efforts and making the results publicly available
2. establishing performance goals and measures that allow FCC to monitor and report on these efforts. FCC concurred with GAO’s recommendations.