Republican FCC members believe you enjoy a slow internet.
The United States isn’t first in many things. In education, happiness, public transportation, voting rights, civil rights, and many other categories, the United States lags behind. The U.S. was a cornerstone of the internet, the first large-scale networks began here. Many large and successful tech companies also originated here, such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft. However, successful lobbying from large telecom corporations, such as Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast, along with many years of deregulation has caused the United States to lag behind other countries in a surprising area: internet speed. The United States, the “best country in the world,” if you ask some Americans, is often not even in the top 20 for internet speeds.
Perhaps worse than the disappointing speed is a government that not only caters to large internet service providers, but one that values corporate profit margins over the well-being of its citizens. Keeping speeds as they are now allows corporations to reduce or eliminate investment in infrastructure improvement, while still claiming the commercially vital label of “broadband.” Without this government regulation in place, we can’t push ISPs into keeping up with the rest of the world and better serving the American people.
And that’s just how former Verizon lawyer and Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai likes it.
The Broadband Standard
Most of the U.S. isn’t covered by broadband.
Broadband doesn’t just mean “fast internet.” It’s a very specific definition, legally speaking. In 2015, then Obama-appointed FCC chairman Tom Wheeler finally upgraded the definition from 4Mbps download, 1Mbps upload to its current standard, 25Mbps down, 3Mbps up. Even 3 years ago, this wasn’t very fast. This means we aren’t pushing internet service providers (ISPs) to improve. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel believes we should increase the minimum speed for broadband downloads to 100Mbps. That would be a drastic leap forward, but it’s exactly what we need.
The broadband standard should be exemplary. Instead, it’s the status quo, just barely faster than the average speed for U.S. connections. This is still much slower than most other technologically progressive nations. This standard should push internet service providers to improve infrastructure, and give a better product to the American people. The broadband standard is supposed to keep the United States from falling behind. Instead, it’s being used for marketing.
The Marketing Standard
Few internet providers are offering more than 25Mbps, competition is non-existent.
You wouldn’t buy internet if it wasn’t marketed as “broadband,” would you? Certainly not if you have a choice in the matter. That’s the dilemma companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Optimum, and Spectrum face. They often have monopolies, but in the few areas they do overlap, there exists a fierce competition. If customers aren’t getting “broadband,” they may be more likely to switch or haggle on their monthly bill. By controlling what “broadband” is, these companies can keep their customers and their profits, without needing to invest in infrastructure improvements. Customers lose on speed and reliability, but corporations with attentive allies in the FCC like Ajit Pai, get to continue taking advantage of Americans.
Hope?
Hope is a four letter word. The FCC has two Republican commissioners, is down to just one Democratic commissioner, and is lead by Ajit Pai, former Verizon lawyer and Republican. That’s three on one. We won’t have a president who could replace Ajit Pai for at least two and a half more years. Democrats are in favor of improvements to internet speeds, but they’d need a shockingly good midterm outcome to be in the position to legislate the FCC. If Democrats can somehow gain control of the senate and house, they could potentially force the FCC to bring back net neutrality and enforce better internet speed standards. This would require a turnout unlike any other, overcoming gerrymandering and voter suppression. In other words, it’s unlikely. Even with that kind of success, without a 2/3 majority, Trump could still veto any bill.
Hope is all we’ve got until 2020.
Sources:
- Jon Brodkin, ars Technica [1], [2]
- Chisato Goya, Business Insider France
- Speedtest Global Index, Published July 2018