FCC serves notice to Internet service providers on speeds
Worried that you are not getting the broadband speed that you Internet service provider promised? The FCC has an app for that.
The agency issued an advisory today reminding ISPs that they must disclose accurate information about connectivity speeds and services for home and mobile broadband. The Federal Communications Commission has received hundreds of complaints on the issue over the last several months.
The FCC adopted ISP transparency provisions in 2011 as part of the Open Internet rules. That Open Internet Transparency Rule remains active even though a federal court struck down some of the agency's Open Internet rules as part of the ongoing legal battle over net neutrality.
The agency would not comment on whether it had any ongoing investigations into ISP speed issues. Its transparency rule requires that ISPs make available information about expected and actual broadband speeds, pricing and fees, as well as network management practices, "such as congestion management practices and the types of traffic subject to those practices," the advisory reads.
"Consumers deserve to get the broadband service they pay for. After today, no broadband provider can claim they didn't know we were watching to see that they disclose accurate information about the services they provide," said FCC chairman Tom Wheeler in a statement. "The FCC's transparency rule requires that consumers get the information they need to make informed choices about the broadband services they purchase. We expect providers to be fully transparent about the details of their services, and we will hold them accountable if they fall down on this obligation to consumers."
Consumers should test their home broadband speeds using online tests and notify the FCC if their Net service doesn't meet its advertised speed. And to test mobile broadband speeds, the FCC has a Mobile Broadband Speed Test App for Android and iOS devices. Complaints can be filed on the FCC's site.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2014/07/23/fcc-broadband-speed-transparency/13043983/
