Cox: Reduce Broadband-Unserved Total By Half By 2012

Cox has proposed that the Federal Communications Commission set a target of cutting the number of American homes unserved by broadband in half by 2012, and ensure that broadband is in every K-12 classroom by that same date. Cox estimated there are currently about 9-10 million unserved households, which means reaching about five million more households in two years. Those were two key action items in the company's comments to the FCC on a national rollout plan. The company also talked about improving broadband speeds, but not by establishing a baseline definition of high-speed, as some public-interest groups and computer companies have suggested. Instead, Cox suggested establishing a national "speed index" by next year, which will required the FCC to gather more of the broadband data it wants. Cox wants the commission to come up with a reliable average of broadband speed, then commit to try to double that by 2012.