Find: 119 million Americans lack broadband Internet, FCC reports

As we mentioned in class...

119 million Americans lack broadband Internet, FCC reports

The US is a long way from its goal of making broadband Internet available to all 314 million Americans. In its third annual broadband progress report, the Federal Communications Commission says 19 million Americans have no option to buy fixed broadband Internet service, and an additional 100 million Americans that do live in areas where broadband is available are not subscribers.

The FCC defines broadband as 4Mbps download speeds and 1Mbps upload speed. So, many people have Internet access that isn't counted in the report. But the US is decidedly behind many other countries. A report last year by the International Telecommunications Union showed the US having 27.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, behind 15 other countries including first place Netherlands, which achieved 38.1 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. 

Exactly how many people in the US have any type of Internet access is not detailed by the FCC. US Census figures from 2010 showed that in 74.2 percent of households, at least one person had Internet access at home, outside of home, or both.