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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
February 17, 2012
Neil Grace, (202) 418-0506
neil.grace@fcc.gov
FOLLOWING SUCCESS OF FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND BROADBAND SPEED TEST IN 2011, FCC
ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF NATIONWIDE TEST; RENEWS CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
FROM EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN 2012 STUDY
Washington, D.C. – Today, the FCC announced the start of the 2012 Measuring Broadband America
process, issuing a Public Notice (PN) to announce the start of the next round of tests and calling on
consumers across the country to volunteer as participants. The participation of volunteers is vital to the
FCC’s effort to measure broadband performance in the United States. The initiative is part of the FCC's
ongoing efforts to empower consumers, ensure accountability, increase transparency, and enhance
competition in the marketplace.
The first Measuring Broadband America Report examined service offerings from 13 of the largest
wireline broadband providers using automated, direct measurements of the broadband performance of
thousands of volunteer broadband customers during March 2011. The study measured speed and
performance as broadband is delivered to the home so that different service providers and technologies
could be compared scientifically. The Report established for the first time that the majority of service
providers were delivering performance approaching or exceeding the levels they advertised to their
customers. It also identified Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that fell short of advertised speeds. A few
months after the Report was released, the FCC noticed a significant improvement by a major ISP and
announced the results in a blog post.
The Report was the culmination of a year-long effort involving the cooperation of 22 stakeholders that
included academic researchers from MIT and Georgia Tech, technology vendors, consumer groups, and
ISPs representing 86% of all residential wireline broadband consumers in the United States to measure
broadband performance to the homes of a representative sampling of thousands of volunteers.
Expanding its effort to empower consumers, the FCC plans to issue two Measuring Broadband America
reports in 2012. The FCC is also expanding the study to include more technologies, extending the study
into new regions of the country, and planning to publish more kinds of data. The first round of testing for
2012 will begin in March. The FCC will continue its commitment to test and report broadband
information transparently in collaboration with key stakeholders.
The FCC is also encouraging consumers to volunteer to be a part of this important effort to provide
detailed and accurate measurements of consumer broadband performance on a national level. Volunteers
will provide crucial real data to evaluate ISP broadband performance claims and empower the ability of
consumers to compare ISPs in meaningful ways. Volunteers who sign-up will receive a free wireless
router from SamKnows, the FCC’s contractor, which will be programmed to measure broadband speeds
delivered to the home and detailed reports on the performance of their broadband service. Detailed
instructions on participation and a sign-up page are available at http://fcc.us/testisp.
For more information about the Measuring Broadband America Report, www.fcc.gov/measuring-
broadband-america/
Source: FCC.gov