In 2019, the Statewide Governor's Broadband Office (office) was established with the purpose to encourage, foster, develop, and improve affordable, quality broadband within the state.
Under current law, broadband or broadband service means any service providing advanced telecommunications capability and Internet access with transmission speeds that, at a minimum, provide 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload.
Unserved areas means areas of Washington in which households and businesses lack access to broadband service, as defined by the office, except that the state's definition for broadband service may not be actual speeds less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.
The definition of broadband or broadband service is revised to mean the provision of any service providing advance telecommunications capability and Internet access with transmission speeds that, at a minimum, provide 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload rather than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.
In the definition of unserved areas, the restriction that the state's definition of broadband service may not be actual speeds less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload is removed.
PRO: All Washington residents deserve access to affordable, reliable broadband—this bill will help make this a reality. We want to make sure definitions align with federal program requirements.