US broadband penetration and speeds

What are the most widely used home Internet connection? 
What is a fast, reliable access?
How fast? How slow? What average speeds?

Summary:
1) The minimum speeds in the US FCC National Broadband Plan will be "faster than dial-up." [What is U.S. dial-up speed? <56kbps]

2) A recent survey sponsored by the FCC referred to the term "broadband." The survey described home broadband users as those who have almost any Internet connection other than dial-up, such as a cable modem, DSL, fixed wireless, satellite, fiber optic, T-1 or a mobile broadband wireless connection.

3) Cable and DSL, the most widely used home Internet connections, can theoretically reach speeds of 30Mbit/sec and 10Mbit/sec, respectively, but average speeds are often much slower.[Measure upload & download times.]

4) The U.S. is falling behind other countries in broadband penetration and speeds. [Which countries have better bb penetration compared to U.S.?]

5) The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) upcoming national broadband plan will ask television broadcasters to voluntarily give up unused wireless spectrum, in exchange for a share of the profits when that spectrum is sold. [Who are U.S. TV broadcasters? What is wireless spectrum? What profits are expected? Why do TV broadcast and mobile bb use/share wireless spectrum?]

6) The FCC's national broadband plan, due out next month (March 2010), will focus on freeing up 500MHz of wireless spectrum over the next decade, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said during a speech at the New America Foundation. As part of that effort, Genachowski said the plan will propose a "mobile future auction," permitting spectrum licensees to give up spectrum.

7) FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's speech: "With this plan, we have a special opportunity to lay a foundation for American leadership in the 21st century. If we get it right, broadband, and in particular mobile broadband, will be an enduring engine for creating jobs and growing our economy, for spreading knowledge and enhancing civic engagement, for advancing a healthier, sustainable way of life. This is our moment. Let's seize it."


Sources:
Computerworld (CW). Networking & Internet. Definition of 'broadband' still a secret in U.S. plan. Some minimum speeds will be set in final document, its author says. By Matt Hamblen. 4 March 2010, 11.44 AM ET

Computerworld (CW). Networking & Internet. Broadband in rural America: Why I'm not holding my breath. Opinion: Despite promising new technologies and federal stimulus money, the rural U.S. remains the land that telecom forgot. By David Haskin. 25 February 2010, 06:00 AM ET

Computerworld (CW). Networking & Internet. FCC aims to free up 500MHz of spectrum for broadband. By Grant Gross. 24 February 2010, 12:49 PM ET

Broadband Internet Access. Wikipedia.