• Fixed terrestrial 100/20 availability rose from 96.0% in June 2024 to 96.9% in June 2025, with rural coverage at 86.7%
  • Including satellite lifts reported fixed availability to 99.7%, though the FCC notes limits from obstruction, capacity and congestion

The fact

The US Federal Communications Commission said 96.9% of Americans had access to fixed terrestrial broadband at speeds of at least 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up in June 2025, up from 96.0% a year earlier. Rural availability reached 86.7%, while the number of rural Americans without access fell by more than 44% over two years. In its 2026 Section 706 Report, the FCC concluded that advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.

When satellite broadband is included, the FCC puts 100/20 fixed availability at 99.7%. The report says only about 25,000 Americans would lack access under that measure, but also notes that satellite service can be constrained by line-of-sight obstructions, capacity and congestion. Commissioner Anna Gomez concurred with the report but called the 99.7% figure misleading, citing performance data showing that fewer than half of satellite users experienced 100/20 Mbps speeds in 2025.

The assessment

ounting satellite changes what the FCC's headline coverage figure represents. A location can be counted as having 100/20 broadband even when no fibre, cable ,or fixed-wireless network reaches it, because satellite availability is included. Terrestrial and satellite-inclusive figures therefore answer different infrastructure questions: the former shows where local networks reach users, while the latter shows where some fixed service is offered. The FCC itself notes that obstruction, congestion and capacity can limit satellite performance, so mapped availability does not mean every user consistently receives the benchmark speed.

For BTW readers, that distinction matters when assessing the remaining rural broadband gap. A location shown as served on the national map may still lack terrestrial infrastructure or face satellite capacity and usability constraints. Technology-specific coverage and performance data are therefore needed to identify where additional terrestrial build or satellite capacity may still be required to meet local service needs.

What to Watch

Watch the next Broadband Data Collection release for the gap between terrestrial 100/20 coverage and the satellite-inclusive figure, particularly in rural areas. FCC map challenges and updated satellite performance data will help show whether locations counted as served are consistently receiving the benchmark speed. If terrestrial coverage rises, the gap between the two measures should narrow; continued satellite performance shortfalls would reinforce the distinction between reported availability and the service users actually receive.