The Federal Communications Commission has dropped its gigabit speed target, claiming it was unfairly favoring faster technologies. Now, the focus is on more achievable benchmarks.

Republican FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spearheaded this move, arguing that aiming for ultra-fast speeds could disadvantage slower technology providers like satellite and fixed wireless networks. The FCC’s latest report suggests a new standard of 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream as sufficient to judge broadband deployment adequacy.

In 2024, the FCC had set a long-term target of 1Gbps download speeds with 500Mbps upload speeds. But now, this goal is no longer part of their criteria, citing uncertainty about future technological developments and consumer preferences.

The decision to abolish the gigabit speed goal was supported by comments from industry groups NCTA and CTIA, which argued that it could be prejudicial to non-gigabit technologies. However, Carr maintains that he is not simply accommodating slower providers; his aim is a more technologically neutral approach in broadband deployment.