Why 25/3 Broadband Is Not Sufficient

In August 2020, the Federal Communications Commission proposed to retain its current benchmark for broadband internet access service: 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload. Areas believed to have 25/3 service already do not qualify for most broadband subsidy programs, though most agree that the FCC has poor data on whether that level of service definitively exists in any given region. Most broadband subsidy programs require delivering a new service that is at least that fast, although given the trajectory of increased online usage some experts worry that if a subsidized network is merely offering 25/3 in 2020 or later, it is an example of government subsidies building obsolete technology that will not create the educational, economic, or other benefits that should justify the expense. By way of analogy, Christopher Mitchell, Community Broadband Networks Director for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, draws a comparison between building broadband infrastructure and bridge construction: "When we build bridges, they are not built to handle expected traffic just 10 years from now, but to deal with what can be anticipated for decades after that."