Fiber Broadband Association and RVA Market Research and Consulting research shows US fibre deployments now reach over more than half of all households.
Fiber broadband deployment reached record levels in 2023. Nine million new homes were passed, indicating a growth rate of 13% year-over-year. 77.9 m U.S. homes were passed with fibre. 51.5% of all the nation’s unique homes and businesses are now passed with fibre. The data indicates that some 69 million locations in the USA are ‘unique’ fibre homes. About 9 m of these are passed by multiple providers.
Not only does fibre pass more than half of all primary homes – it’s passing a growing percentage of second homes or short-term rentals, too. RVA estimates the total available market remaining for FTTH may be over 100 million homes including second and third passings in many areas. While HFC remains dominant in broadband delivery, FTTP and FWA are expected to grow. Analyst firm Omdia forecasts cable's share to decline to 55% by 2028, and fibre’s share to rise to 30%. Other research by FBA and RVA also indicates that 63% of all U.S. consumers consider fibre broadband the best internet service delivery method in terms of speed and reliability. Cable came in second and fixed wireless third.
“Year after year, our research demonstrates the growing preference for fibre and the increased success of the fibre broadband ecosystem in extending the reach of high-quality broadband networks”
Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association
Rollout and uptake of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) in the USA face several key barriers. Deployment requires significant upfront investment and securing funding, especially in economically disadvantaged areas, remains a significant barrier. Obtaining the permits for laying fibre can be complex and time-consuming. Different jurisdictions have varying regulations, which can delay projects. Shortages in trained personnel can also slow down deployments and increase costs. During 2023, RVA conducted interviews with 283 small and mid-sized network operators installing fibre. There are still some challenges to ubiquitous rollout, especially for smaller providers. The largest perceived challenges are the availability of labour, rising costs, and work process constraints such as obtaining governments’ or private companies' approval and permits to complete installations.
“The latest rounds of federal and private investments will serve as huge propellants to the next round of fibre broadband success,” adds Deborah Kish. Through programs such as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the US federal government is providing substantial funding to support broadband infrastructure projects across the country. What’s more some states have their own grant programs to support broadband expansion, as well as tax incentives to encourage infrastructure investments. The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) is allocating billions of dollars to expand broadband internet access in rural areas. The ReConnect Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides loans and grants to improve broadband infrastructure in rural areas, including fibre networks.
These combined efforts are focused on bridging the digital divide, ensuring high-speed internet access, including fibre-optic connectivity, becomes widely available, supporting economic growth and digital inclusion.
