"This isn't about how fast someone can download a full-length movie. Speed matters to our economy and our ability to remain competitive in a global marketplace," said Larry Cohen, president, Communications Workers of America. "Rural development, telemedicine and distance learning all rely on truly high-speed, universal networks."
Speed Matters was launched in September 2006 to help bridge the digital divide and keep America competitive by encouraging Congress - and our next president - to develop and pass a telecommunications policy fit for the 21st century.
"We are the only industrialized nation without a national policy to promote universal, high-speed Internet access - and it shows," added Cohen. "Most of our Speed Test users logged on with broadband connections such as DSL, cable modem or fiber. People with dial-up connections didn't take the test because it took them too long, so even these dismal statistics paint a rosier-than-reality picture of connection speeds across the country."
The test results demonstrate the critical need for the Senate to pass S. 1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, to move the U.S. toward a national broadband policy. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed a similar measure, the Broadband Census of America Act, to support the collection of data about broadband deployment.
Recent studies show about 15 percent of Americans still use dial-up to connect to the Internet. CWA commends the FCC for mandating improvements in data collection and encourages development of policies that address clear gaps in deployment and adoption of broadband.
