The FCC Communications Marketplace Report: More Must Be Done to Enable Broadband Competition and Choice

Big kudos to the Federal Communications Commission for the release of its Communications Marketplace Report at the end of 2022. This is the first Communications Marketplace Report released under FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s leadership, so none of us should be surprised that there are vast improvements in the information covered. For example, the FCC is reporting prices from the top 11 home broadband providers, showing that the range of prices collected from each provider’s website was consistent with a recent Consumer Reports study. That study finds that the median cost of high-speed internet service was $74.99 per month, and approximately half of the households are paying between $60 and $90 per month. For the first time, the Report also offers a snapshot of providers that are using data caps for home internet service — three of the top providers do so, as well as 130 additional providers across the US, including smaller companies. The Report also includes detail about the technologies offered by the 11 largest home providers. The FCC finds that there is insufficient choice for home (fixed) broadband by stating: “[c]urrently available data demonstrates that millions of Americans lack access to high-speed broadband or can only access high-speed broadband through a single provider.”