The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) and Office of Economics and Analytics (Office) have announced the 2023 urban rate survey results for fixed voice and broadband services. The Commission has posted the data collected in the most recent urban rate survey and explanatory notes regarding such data here.
Based on the survey results, the Commission has released the 2023 reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed voice and broadband services for ETCs that are subject to broadband public interest obligations. The 2023 urban average monthly rate is $36.73 for voice services for incumbent ETCs and the reasonable comparability benchmark for voice services is $59.62. For broadband rates, the FCC has provided a table with benchmarks for various broadband service offerings.
Additionally, the Bureau and Office have announced that 600 GB is the 2023 fixed broadband minimum usage allowance for ETCs. The Commission has announced that the minimum usage allowance for carriers receiving support from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is the greater of 250 GB or the average usage calculated by the Bureau for the Minimum and Baseline tiers and 2 TB for the Above-Baseline and Gigabit tiers.
