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Benchmarking internet Progress: Longitudinal analysis of the FCC's measuring broadband America data, 2011–2023

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  • Reed, David P.
  • Schnitzer, Jason
  • Sekar, Dhanavikram

Abstract

This paper presents the first comprehensive longitudinal analysis (2011–2023) of U.S. broadband performance using the Federal Communications Commission's Measuring Broadband America (MBA) dataset. Leveraging the full corpus of validated measurements, we examine the evolution of throughput and latency for the three dominant wireline access technologies – DSL, cable, and fiber – over this time. The results document substantial long-run improvements in broadband capability, including rapid growth in delivered speeds and meaningful reductions in latency under load for cable and fiber networks. At the same time, distributional analysis reveals persistent performance dispersion and continued difficulty meeting policy-relevant latency thresholds, particularly for legacy technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Reed, David P. & Schnitzer, Jason & Sekar, Dhanavikram, 2026. "Benchmarking internet Progress: Longitudinal analysis of the FCC's measuring broadband America data, 2011–2023," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(5).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:50:y:2026:i:5:s0308596126000418
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2026.103191
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