[Infowarrior] - FCC Releases Data on High Speed Services for Internet Access

[Richard Forno]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               NEWS
MEDIA CONTACT:
  January 31, 2007 
Mark Wigfield at (202) 418-0253
                   
Email: mark.wigfield at fcc.gov
   
    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RELEASES DATA ON HIGH-SPEED SERVICES
FOR INTERNET ACCESS
        High-Speed Connections to the Internet Increased by 26% in the First
Half of 2006 
  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 FCC¹s local telephone competition and
broadband data gathering program (FCC Form 477).  Statistics released today
reflect data as of June 30, 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.  Commencing with
the June 2005 data, we 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.
  1)     High-Speed Lines
        ·        High-speed lines increased by 26% during the first half of
2006, from 51.2 million to 64.6 million lines in service, compared to a 21%
increase, from 42.4 million to 51.2 million lines, during the second half of
2005.  For the full twelve month period ending June 30, 2006, high-speed
lines increased by 52% (or 22.2 million lines).  High-speed lines encompass
advanced services lines and also include lines that deliver services at
speeds exceeding 200 kbps in one, but not both, directions.
   ·        Of the 64.6 million total high-speed lines reported as of June
30, 2006, 50.3 million served primarily residential end users.  Cable modem
service represented 55.2% of these lines while 40.1% were asymmetric DSL
(ADSL) connections, 0.2% were symmetric DSL (SDSL) or traditional wireline
connections, 0.9% were fiber connections to the end user premises, and 3.7%
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 3.1 million lines during the first
half of 2006 compared to an increase of 2.0 million lines for cable modem
service.  For the full year, ADSL increased by 6.3 million lines compared to
an increase of 4.6 million lines for cable modem service.
  2)     Advanced Services Lines
    ·        Advanced services lines, which deliver services at speeds
exceeding 200 kbps in both directions, increased by 15% during the first
half of 2006, from 43.8 million to 50.4 million, compared to a 18% increase,
from 37.3 million to 43.8 million lines, during the second half of 2005.
For the full twelve month period ending June 30, 2006, advanced services
lines increased 35% (or 13.2 million lines).
     ·        Of the 50.4 million advanced services lines reported as of
June  30, 2006, 63.1% were at least 2.5 mbps in the faster direction and
36.9% were slower than 2.5 mbps in the faster direction.
             Of the 50.4 million advanced services lines, 45.9 million
served primarily residential end users.  Cable modem service represented
59.9% of these lines while 35.8% were ADSL connections, 0.2% were SDSL or
traditional wireline connections, 1.0% were fiber connections to the end
user premises, and 3.2% used other types of technology including satellite,
terrestrial fixed or mobile wireless (on a licensed or unlicensed basis),
and electric power line.
     3)     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 June 30, 2006, and that
high-speed cable modem service was available to 93% 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 99% of Zip Codes were
listed by at least one provider.  Our analysis indicates that more than 99%
of the nation¹s population lives in those Zip Codes.  The most widely
reported technologies by this measure were satellite (with at least some
presence reported in 90% of Zip Codes), ADSL (in 82% of Zip Codes), and
cable modem (in 64% of Zip Codes).  ADSL and/or cable modem connections were
reported to be present in 88% 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 Commission¹s Internet site.
     The report is available for reference in the FCC¹s 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.
      - FCC - 
  Wireline Competition Bureau contacts:  James Eisner and Suzanne Mendez at
(202) 418-0940, TTY (202) 418-0484.