The FCC has announced that it will begin a process to evaluate mobile broadband speeds on September 21st, in an effort to provide customers with detailed measurements of mobile data performance in the United States. The move expands on the agency's National Broadband Plan, which originally gathered measurements on fixed broadband performance -- the FCC released its second report on fixed broadband in August. The FCC says it plans to build on the fixed broadband program with its mobile broadband evaluations.

The FCC plans to use the data to provide "comparisons and analyses that are valuable to consumers and spur competition among service providers." The agency says it's already gathered support for the program from major wireless carriers and the CTIA, and it will begin with a meeting on the 21st to gather input from stakeholders.