FCC to study data caps, and may raise broadband speed threshold

The FCC says that it may need to change the definition for what it considers broadband. In a notice of inquiry issued on Tuesday, the FCC said that the threshold may need to be raised to reflect the demands required by consumers relying more on broadband services to download high-definition video and to access the Internet on multiple devices in their homes.

The commission also intends to gauge the impact that broadband usage caps and tiered data plans in next year's Annual Broadband Progress Report.

"If we add a data capacity threshold for fixed broadband in the next report, what data capacity threshold or thresholds should we adopt," the commission asks in the notice of inquiry. "What data capacity limits do most fixed broadband providers offer today? How often, and under what circumstances, do consumers exceed these limits?"

"There is evidence that consumers are accessing and generating video content over broadband to a greater degree than in previous years, and are increasingly using their broadband connections to view high-quality video and use advanced video applications," the FCC said in its notice of inquiry, pointing to a Cisco report that predicts North American Internet video traffic will grow 20 percent annually from 2011 to 2016.

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