Fiber Broadband Deployment Reached Record Highs in 2019

WASHINGTON — Fiber deployment reached record highs in North America in 2019, according to a study released by the Fiber Broadband Association and RVA, LLC.

Key findings include:

• In 2002, only 50,000 U.S. homes had access to all-fiber connectivity; today, it’s nearly one thousand times that. In the United States, fiber broadband now passes 46.5 million unique homes — about 37% of total homes — and connects 20.5 million. This is a 16% increase in homes passed by fiber since 2018.
• Over the past year, fiber broadband networks became available to 6.5 million additional unique homes — a record level of additions. Smaller providers accounted for 25% of these new home connections.
• All-fiber deployments to customer end-points are at record levels, with over 400,000 fiber routes deployed in the last year. This increase was driven by new deployments to homes, upgrades by cable operators, and the beginning of deployments to small cell sites.
• Canada reached a new milestone in 2019: fiber now passes half of all Canadian homes.

The study also examined the role of 5G in these trends. Total fiber deployment is at record levels — and small cell deployment is still just in its infancy.

“2019 was a banner year for fiber broadband,” said Lisa R. Youngers, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “Fiber networks now support everything from 5G to Smart Cities to the Internet of Things. I’m thrilled that our Association can demonstrate the progress that we have made. In 2020, we will continue the work to connect the unconnected and accelerate our fiber future.

The full report is available to members of the Fiber Broadband Association on its website.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association in the Americas dedicated to the pursuit of all- fiber-optic network infrastructure to the home, to the business and to everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better broadband networks with fiber optics while working with its members to lead the organization forward, collaborate with industry allies and propel the deployment of fiber networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build a better broadband future here and around the world. Learn more at www.fiberbroadband.org