"Broadband" Now is Subjective

There is no single global standard for “broadband” or “high speed” access, although such matters once were a matter of global standards. These days, the definitions are subjective.

For analysts at Ovum, “broadband” means a minimum speed of 10 Mbps.

For the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, “broadband” requires a minimum of 25 Mbps. Regulators in each country might propose a different number.

Ovum also argues that, in addition to a download speed of at least 10Mbps, broadband  requires a “stable and reliable network that delivers content with a wait time of no more than three seconds.”

Ovum also sees non-technical attributes as important, including “outstanding customer service that can resolve most customer issues at the first point of contact.”

By adding quality of service mechanisms--including those which are not technology related--Ovum shows the new world we are in.

We no longer can uniformly describe what “broadband” is, as an experience or product.