The best way to ensure broadband networks are performing as promised and public investments are paying off is to keep a finger on the pulse
Between 2011 and 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ran an in-home broadband measurement program called Measuring Broadband America (MBA). The campaign enlisted thousands of volunteers to take direct measurements of fixed broadband service performances of some of the largest service providers in the country using at-home test kits. The data collected fed into periodic reports that laid out the performance levels demonstrated by each provider under specific test conditions.
The primary objective of this initiative was to deliver performance studies of services across homes in the United States, in an effort to bring transparency to the people, and accountability for providers — and ultimately ensuring a healthy and competitive marketplace.
Unfortunately, funding was cut, and the program is no longer active. However, need for accurate data pinpointing of broadband services has never been greater. Reliable broadband has become critical to a number of essential services — online classes, healthcare services, online banking, basic government services, what have you. With Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding flowing in and work to begin next year, it is now down to each state to justify the investments and deliver access to high-speed broadband to its residents.
Keeping a finger on the pulse
Bryan Darr, VP of government affairs at Ookla in a recent article highlighted the importance of state-level broadband monitoring and measurement drives in closing the nationwide digital divide between urban and rural communities.
Darr points out that while there will be ongoing verification requirements defined by National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the specific BEAD-funded deployments, measurable connectivity improvements can only be fully realized by continually testing and monitoring network performances going beyond the federal mandates.
“Without broad, consistent network performance testing, states risk losing visibility into how billions in public funds are being used, undermining their ability to demonstrate results or enforce accountability,” he wrote.
He argues that there are blindspots in many older programs as they do not require ongoing testing which leaves states to their own resources and standards. For instance, NTIA requires eligible entities to meet their measurement obligations for BEAD last-mile projects, but it will likely follow the 5 to 50 testing locations per area requirement as outlined for Connect America Fund (CAF).
“Testing requirements do not extend beyond the award areas in an ISP’s footprint unless necessitated by other support programs,” he writes.
A lot that gets lost in one-time checks, he notes. Parameters like real day to day user experience, performance trends over time, and adoption shifts in communities are often not captured in these inspections. This where crowdsourced testing like MBA shines in gathering valuable insights through repeated and regular testing.
P.S.: In case you are wondering, here is how the states stack up in broadband performance in 2025. According to the most recent Ookla survey, the states of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Rhode Island rank the highest with north of 70% users experiencing the FCC standard 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream speed. The same states with the exception of Delaware which has dropped off the list this year, replaced by New Jersey were among the top 5 in 2024.