The Ministry of Communication has revised the definition of broadband connectivity through a notification on January 25.
Key points
- The Cente has specified a higher minimum download speed of 2 Mbps (megabits per second). Earlier, the definition notified by the Telecom Department in July 2013 had benchmarked it to 512 kbps (kilobits per second) as minimum download speed.
- The notification says, “Broadband is a data connection that is able to support interactive services including Internet access and has the capability of the minimum download speed of 2 Mbps to an individual subscriber from the point of presence (POP) of the service provider intending to provide Broadband service.”
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had recommended to the DoT in September 2021 to update the minimum broadband speed to atleast 2 mbps.
- The DoT has implemented the recommendation.
- The median fixed broadband speed in India far exceeds the minimum at around 75.18 Mbps.
- India has a median mobile download speed of 36.74 Mbps.
