NTCA rural broadband survey: members see increases in upload, download speeds

"NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association's "2025 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report," shows that more than 9-in-10 (92%) of respondents have service with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps available to them, up from 89% in 2024. Additionally, nearly 8-in-10 (79%) customers have 1 Gbps service available to them, up from 76% in the previous annual report. Other report highlights include: Three-quarters of respondents subscribe to 100 Mbps or more downstream broadband - an increase form 67% last year and less than half (48%) in 2024."

"Subscriptions for 100 Mbps and higher-speed downstream services are more popular than lower-speed offerings for the fourth consecutive year. More than 90% of "key institutions" - schools, public safety entities, 911 call centers, libraries and hospitals - have broadband connections. Respondents said they had an average of 5,988 residential fixed broadband connections in service in 2025, an increase from the 5,257 of 2024."

92% of respondents have service with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps available, and 79% have 1 Gbps available. Three-quarters of respondents subscribe to 100 Mbps or more downstream broadband, up from 67% last year. Higher-speed downstream subscriptions outnumber lower-speed offerings for the fourth consecutive year. More than 90% of key institutions—schools, public safety, 911 centers, libraries and hospitals—have broadband connections. Average residential fixed broadband connections per respondent rose to 5,988 in 2025 and business fixed broadband to 575. Deployment cost, distance, regulatory uncertainty, permitting and inflation remain barriers, though supply chain delays have eased. Fiber availability to anchor institutions and speeds rebounded sharply in 2025.

Read at Telecompetitor