FCC Releases Data on High-Speed Services for Internet Access
Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com
(SnapVoIP) After asking for broadband maps this week, FCC has released the the report "DATA ON HIGH-SPEED SERVICES FOR INTERNET ACCESS". The data might be enough for me to construct a rough map or perhaps a telecom mashup, nevertheless good news for USA.
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released new data on high-speed connections to the Internet in the United States. Twice a year, all facilities-based broadband providers are required to report to the Commission basic information about their service offerings and types of customers pursuant to the FCC’s local telephone competition and broadband data gathering program (FCC Form 477). Statistics released today reflect data as of December 31, 2006.
For reporting purposes, high-speed lines are connections that deliver services at speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (kbps) in at least one direction, while advanced services lines are connections that deliver services at speeds exceeding 200 kbps in both directions. Highspeed lines encompass advanced services lines. Commencing with the June 2005 data, FCC collect and report more detailed information about the speeds of in-service lines, provide finer distinctions among technologies, and collect and analyze information about the availability of high-speed Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections from incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) and high-speed cable modem service from cable TV system operators. Also commencing with the June 2005 data, providers with fewer than 250 high-speed connections in service to end users in a rticular state are no longer excused from reporting data for that state.
High-Speed Lines
• High-speed lines increased by 27% during the second half of 2006, from 65.0 million to 82.5 million lines in service, following a 27% increase, from 51.2 million to 65.0 million lines, during the first half of 2006. For the full year, high-speed lines increased by 61% from 51.2 million to 82.5 million (or 31.3 million lines) compared to 37% in 2005 (37.4 million to 51.2 million).
• Of the 82.5 million total high-speed lines reported as of December 31, 2006, 58.2
million served primarily residential end users. Cable modem service represented 53.6% of these lines while 39.1% were asymmetric DSL (ADSL) connections, 0.2% were symmetric DSL (SDSL) or traditional wireline connections, 1.3% were fiber connections to the end user premises, and 5.8% used other types of technology including satellite, terrestrial fixed or mobile wireless (on a licensed or unlicensed basis), and electric power line.
• ADSL lines increased by 2.8 million lines during the second half of 2006 compared to an increase of 3.2 million lines for cable modem service. For the full year, ADSL increased by 5.9 million lines and high-speed cable modem connections increased by 5.5 million lines.
Advanced Services Lines
• Advanced services lines, which deliver services at speeds exceeding 200 kbps in both directions, increased by 17% during the second half of 2006, from 50.8 million to 59.5 million, compared to a 16% increase, from 43.9 million to 50.8 million lines, during the first half of 2006. For the full year, advanced services lines increased 36% from 43.9 million to 59.5 million (or 15.6 million lines).
• Of the 59.5 million advanced services lines reported as of December 31, 2006, 63% were at least 2.5 mbps in the faster direction and 37% were slower than 2.5 mbps in the faster direction.
• Of the 59.5 million advanced services lines, 53.5 million served primarily residential end users. Cable modem service represented 57.7% of these lines while 35.3% were ADSL connections, 0.2% were SDSL or traditional wireline connections, 1.4% were fiber connections to the end user premises, and 5.4% used other types of technology including satellite, terrestrial fixed or mobile wireless (on a licensed or unlicensed basis), and electric power line.
Geographic Coverage
• As a nationwide average, we estimate that high-speed DSL connections were available to 79% of the households to whom incumbent LECs could provide local telephone service as of December 31, 2006, and that high-speed cable modem service was available to 96% of the households to whom cable system operators could provide cable TV service.
• Providers list the Zip Codes in which they have at least one high-speed connection in
service to an end user, and over 99% of Zip Codes were listed by at least one provider. Our analysis indicates that more than 99% of the nation’s population lives in those Zip Codes. The most widely reported technologies by this measure were satellite (with at least some presence reported in 91% of Zip Codes), ADSL (in 84% of Zip Codes), and cable modem (in 65% of Zip Codes). ADSL and/or cable modem connections were reported to be present in 90% of Zip Codes. The summary statistics released today also include state-by-state information, and population density and household income information ranked by Zip Codes. As additional information becomes available, it will be posted on the Commission’s Internet site. The report is available for reference in the FCC’s Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Copies may be purchased by calling Best Copy and Printing, Inc. at (800) 378-3160. The report can also be downloaded from the Wireline Competition Bureau Statistical Reports Internet site at www.fcc.gov/wcb/stats.
