New Internet push

last updated 8 January 2015

Almost 90 percent of the U.S. would have high-speed Internet access by 2020, under a plan unveiled by the Federal Communications Commission. The agency said the National Broadband Plan would ensure that the U.S., where the Internet was invented, did not fall behind other countries with faster and cheaper Internet service. The goal is to give at least 100 million Americans Internet access that would be up to 25 times faster than the current standard.

The FCC proposes to reclaim part of the frequency spectrum now reserved for television signals and auction it off to companies selling wireless Internet access. The plan faces resistance from broadcasters, which want a share of auction proceeds.