The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released its most recent report on access in the United States to high-speed Internet connections.
According to the Commission, the total number of high-speed connections (which are defined as connections that deliver services at speeds exceeding 200 kbps in at least one direction) have increased at an average rate of 42% per year over the past decade, from 2 million connections in 1999 to 81 million connections at the end of 2009. During the same period, household adoption of high-speed Internet connections have increased from 3 connections per 100 households to 60 connections per 100 households.
Equally important as the increased penetration of high-speed Internet connections is the average downstream and upstream speeds reported. At the end of 2009, 30% of all connections provided download speeds of 6 mbps or greater, with an additional 12% of all connections providing download speeds of between 3 and 6 mpbs. But 58% of all connections still provide download speeds of less than 3 mpbs. And nearly half (49%) of all connections provide upstream speeds of less than 768 kbps.
In its report, the FCC notes that it has now been collecting, compiling and publishing data on the adoption of high-speed Internet connections for a full decade.
Read the complete text of the Commission’s report on high-speed Internet access.
