The USA's telecoms regulator, the FCC says that the country has made significant progress expanding high-speed Internet access in recent years, but further implementation of new reforms is required before broadband will be available to the approximately 19 million Americans who still lack access.

The Report concludes that the FCC -- and the nation -- must continue to address obstacles impeding universal broadband deployment and availability.

Notwithstanding previous progress, the report finds that approximately 19 million Americans -- 6 percent of the population -- still lack access to fixed broadband service at threshold speeds.

The FCC defines "broadband" as a minimum of 4Mbps upload and 1Mbps download.

In rural areas, nearly one-fourth of the population -- 14.5 million people -- lack access to this service. In tribal areas, nearly one-third of the population lacks access. Even in areas where broadband is available, approximately 100 million Americans still do not subscribe. The report concludes that until the Commission's Connect America reforms are fully implemented, these gaps are unlikely to close. Because millions still lack access to or have not adopted broadband, the Report concludes broadband is not yet being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion.

Technology and the needs of businesses and consumers continue to evolve, the FCC notes in a Notice of Inquiry also released today that seeks public input for the next annual report. Because higher-speed broadband is increasingly available and market offerings continue to change, the Notice of Inquiry explores how to keep the broadband report up-to-date, including further examining the role of mobile services and next-generation, high-speed services in the FCC's next annual evaluation of broadband availability.