The FCC Wireline Competition Bureau released its report this week on High Speed Services for Internet Access: Status as of December 31, 2006. While the report focuses on wired high-speed Internet access, it also includes data on mobile and fixed wireless Internet connections.
According to the report, mobile wireless lines capable of 200 kbps in at least one direction increased from 3,128,296 in Dec. 2005 to 21,910,340 a year later. Reflecting higher speed mobile wireless services such as ExVDO (Rev A), the report shows the number of mobile wireless lines capable of speeds over 200 kbps in both directions increased from 82,036 in Dec. 2005 to 4,113,399 12 months later.
Fixed wireless lines capable of more than 200 kbps in both directions increased from 220,268 to 455,509 between the end of 2005 and the end of 2006. Fixed wireless lines capable of more than 200 kbps in one direction increased from 257,431 to 484,073.
The number of satellite “lines” capable of more than 200 kbps in both directions showed little change, dropping slightly to 36,026 in Dec. 2006. Satellite links capable of 200 kbps in at least one direction increased from 426,928 to 571,980.
Out of 82.5 million total high-speed lines, 38.9% used cable modems, 30.8 percent were ADSL, 1.2 percent were symmetric DSL (SDSL) or traditional wire line, 1.2 percent were fiber to the end user premises and 27.8 percent used other technologies such as wireless and satellite.
