News - April 8, 2020

INCOMPAS: Total Performance: How Local, Regional, Home and Business Competitive Broadband Networks are Responding to COVID-19

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 8, 2020) – INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association, launched a new network performance page on its website to help detail the broad impact the COVID-19 crisis is having on a variety of different competitive networks.

INCOMPAS represents streaming, social media, internet, software and cloud companies (EDGE providers), as well as a variety of broadband network builders – including local fiber builders (last mile), regional fiber builders (middle mile), and wireless networks and voice providers.

The INCOMPAS findings point to a 25% increase in residential use, where new gigabit speed fiber networks have helped families working and schooling from home. But they also show a 35 to 40% decline in network usage that serves small and medium sized business, hospitals, cell towers and government agencies which is consistent with more employees working from home and children distance learning.

“Competitive networks play a critical role in the internet ecosystem,” said Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS. “No network is an island. They are interconnected to other networks to provide seamless communications. Fiber networks are working well to serve the needs of their customers, including homes, businesses and hospitals on the front lines. And regional fiber networks that connect cell towers, boost other ISPs’ services with connectivity, and enable faster streaming and cloud content have plenty of capacity.”

The INCOMPAS research also found voice service dropped 10-25%, illustrating the important reliance on voice networks at work and the shifting of voice to mobile use at home. INCOMPAS also includes important information on streaming and internet edge services that have been engineered to handle increased network demands.

Visit the INCOMPAS network performance page.

INCOMPAS will update the resource page as additional information is made available from its members. INCOMPAS is also highlighting members COVID-19 response efforts on its “Stay Strong Stay Connected” page, and several members have signed the FCC's "Keep Americans Connected" Pledge. 

About INCOMPAS
INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association, is the leading trade group advocating for competition policy across all networks. INCOMPAS represents Internet, streaming, communications and technology companies large and small, advocating for laws and policies that promote competition, innovation and economic development. Learn more at www.incompas.org or follow us on Twitter: @INCOMPAS @ChipPickering