WISPA

New performance data shows U.S. WISPs are getting faster, but low‑Earth orbit players like Starlink are advancing just as quickly—and the competitive gap in rural markets is narrowing. Based on Speedtest Intelligence data from Q1 2021 to Q2 2025, eight of the larger WISPs—Starry, Resound Networks, Nextlink, Wisper Internet, Unwired Broadband, GeoLinks, Etheric Networks, and Rise Broadband—improved speeds, with download gains outpacing uploads. Starry led by a wide margin with a 202 Mbps median download in Q2 2025, followed by Resound at 99 Mbps and Nextlink at 68 Mbps; GeoLinks trailed at 23 Mbps. Crucially, only a minority of WISP users consistently achieve the FCC’s 100/20 Mbps fixed broadband benchmark.
SpaceX wants the FCC to count Starlink as “advanced” broadband in its annual Section 706 report, a move that could reshape funding, benchmarks, and competition in rural internet buildouts. In 2024, the agency set a 100/20 Mbps benchmark, added affordability and adoption metrics, and floated a long-term goal of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps. SpaceX argues that excluding LEO distorts the national picture. The company says Starlink serves more than 2 million U.S. subscribers and posts median peak-hour speeds near 200 Mbps today. Rural electric co-ops and community telcos counter that LEO networks remain capacity constrained and variable.
The FCC’s proposed CBRS changes are facing backlash from 25 organizations, including Amazon, Comcast, and Lockheed Martin, who argue that increased power levels and relaxed emissions limits would harm rural broadband, private networks, and competition. The proposal risks turning CBRS into a high-power cellular band, benefiting major carriers at the expense of small businesses, industrial users, and public access initiatives. As the debate intensifies, the future of CBRS and its diverse ecosystem remains uncertain.

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