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FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

docs.fcc.gov

111–120 of 432 posts

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#111
post #57
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The costs for your ISP are fixed whether they serve you 1MB or 1TB. That's only true in a very abstract sense. If everybody went from using 1MB/day to 1TB/day there would be massive congestion issues and costs would increase as ISPs rush to install higher-bandwidth equipment. Put a different way: It is cheaper to construct a network where all subscribers consume only 1MB/day than a network where all subscribers con…

Well it should be true in the concrete sense. If they can't consistently serve you at 100mpbs or whatever else then they shouldn't advertise it. "But everyone else is using it at the same time so too bad" wouldn't work as an excuse in any other industry.

> "But everyone else is using it at the same time so too bad" wouldn't work as an excuse in any other industry.

Go to a grocery store in Florida before a hurricane and try to buy bread.

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#112

This is nice, but with increased speed, they should also require ISPs do not impose a data cap to be considered broadband.

It blows my mind that you guys in the US still have to deal with data caps ... It's been years in the UK since that's been a thing for broadband, and we're close to the point where mobile data will be the same

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#113

This is nice, but with increased speed, they should also require ISPs do not impose a data cap to be considered broadband.

And that speed should be symmetrical. We are continuing to push the boundaries are content going out.

Asymmetric speeds let ISP's oversell their network (more).

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#114
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And that speed should be symmetrical. We are continuing to push the boundaries are content going out.

A huge portion of people don't need a massive upstream. This sounds more expensive for basically no benefit (for most)

The majority of people is not the qualifier here for this argument. It's what is actually a good definition for the term "broadband" in this time and age.

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#115
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A huge portion of people don't need a massive upstream. This sounds more expensive for basically no benefit (for most)

A lot of people need enough for at least a steady Zoom/FaceTime call, and that's only going to increase over time.

potentially multiple simultaneously if mom&dad have separate jobs with kids attending classes.

asymmetrical is as antiquated as dial-up. there's no reason for it in 2023.

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#116

This is nice, but with increased speed, they should also require ISPs do not impose a data cap to be considered broadband.

And that speed should be symmetrical. We are continuing to push the boundaries are content going out.

My upload speed is a mere 35th of my download. Affordable symmetrical needs to be a thing. Especially with a certain ISP monopoly.

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#117

Does everyone really need that much bandwidth though? Usally 20mbps is enough for most things. 50 is plenty and after that it’s mostly bragging rights.

You clearly don't play video games. Waiting on downloads in the mid 10s of GB is common.

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#118
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A huge portion of people don't need a massive upstream. This sounds more expensive for basically no benefit (for most)

Let's pitch symmetrical, let them counter with 20Mbit up per 100Mbit down, and call it a victory.

i think you're about 1/5 the minimum speeds we should be countering. 100mbps up, 1000mbps down

Re: FCC launches inquiry to increase minimum broadband speed [pdf]

#120

Honest question: at what point, with real life usage, is 1 Gbps actually necessary for home users? I find that latency rather than throughput is what determines my perceived quality of an Internet connection. But am curious how others think.

Plenty of people work from home and that connection speed can be important when you're uploading a bunch of files while on a video call for example. Or there's three people in your house all on video calls.

With Teams using 0.3 Mbit/s (3fps) while I am sharing my screen, this is not really a concern.
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