Va. Broadband Lags in Rural Area

A new report says broadband service that meets today's speed standards is lacking in rural Virginia.

The report by the Federal Communications Commission says 64 percent of residents in rural Virginia don't have access to broadband service meeting the agency's new benchmarks. Statewide, 21 percent of residents lack access.

The FCC recently updated its benchmark speed to reflect advances in technology, consumer demand and offerings by broadband providers. The new benchmark for downloads is 25 megabits per second, up from four megabits. The new benchmark for uploads is three megabits per second, up from 1 megabit.

In the report released Friday, the FCC says 17 percent of residents nationwide lack access to broadband service meeting the new benchmarks.