Factbox: Details of U.S. broadband plan

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission released its National Broadband Plan, a roadmap to faster and more widespread broadband access over the next decade. The five members of the FCC are due to discuss the plan at an open meeting on Tuesday.

Here are some of the plan's major recommendations and goals:

SPECTRUM

* Free up to 500 megahertz of spectrum for broadband within 10 years; 300 megahertz of that spectrum should be made available for mobile broadband within five years

* Airwaves held by broadcasters and other licensees could be reallocated to wireless companies under a voluntary program that would allow licensees to receive some auction proceeds

* FCC would need expanded authority from Congress to proceed with auctions

* Some spectrum called "D-block," originally set aside for public safety, would be auctioned for commercial purposes

* Consider licensing a block of spectrum with a condition to offer free or low-cost broadband service

INTERNET SPEED

* "100 Squared Initiative" would bring download speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to 100 million American households by 2020 and actual upload speeds of at least 50 Mbps

* By 2015, goal is to bring up download speeds of 50 Mbps to 100 million homes and upload speeds of 20 Mbps

* Anchor institutions would get faster speeds of about 1 gigabit per second by 2020. They include government buildings, schools, libraries and healthcare facilities

COMPETITION

* Collect, analyze, benchmark and publish detailed market-by-market information and data on broadband pricing and competition

* Disclosure requirements for broadband service providers on pricing and performance; data on actual speeds versus advertised speeds could help inform consumers and improve competition

* Comprehensive review of wholesale competition rules for fixed and mobile broadband services to ensure special access rates, terms and conditions are "just and reasonable"

* Amend video set-top box policy to allow for the innovation of a "simple and inexpensive" gateway device that connects cable programing and the Internet

UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND REFORM

* Create a Connect America Fund to support affordable broadband

* Shift up to $15.5 billion over the next decade from the Universal Service Fund that currently supports phone service to low-income and rural families

* FCC recommends to Congress a one-time $9 billion infusion could help speed broadband reach in about three years

* Phases out intercarrier compensation for connecting long-distance phone calls

* Big carriers like Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc support USF reform

PUBLIC SAFETY

* FCC is asking Congress to fund between $12 billion and $16 billion to create an emergency public safety broadband system for front-line responders over 10 years

NATIONAL PURPOSES

* Promotes telemedicine, use of electronic health records, a move that could save hospitals $371 billion and save physician practices $142 billion over 15 years

* Ease rules that act as barriers to practice medicine across state lines

* States should require electric utilities to provide consumers real-time online information on their energy use

* Urges Congress to consider legislation to encourage copyright holders to grant digital rights for educational purposes

(Reporting by John Poirier; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)