February 2018 Vol. 73 No. 2
Features
NA Fiber Deployment Continues at Rapid Pace
Deployment of fiber optic cable to individual homes and premises continues to expand at a strong pace, according to the most recent study by the Fiber Broadband Association (formerly the FTTH Council).
The association’s North American 2017 Broadband Report, released in December, said Canada is leading fiber deployment with a 45-percent increase in homes marketed in 2017. Fiber deployment in the United States set a new record in 2017, passing 35 million homes and a 4.4 million increase in homes marketed, the most ever in a single year.
The broadband report is prepared each year by telecom veteran research company, RVA LLC.
Mike Render, RVA president, said the report shows the rapid growth of fiber networks in North America is due, in large part, to the increased participation of smaller FTTH providers, as well as increased consumer demand, reflected in FTTH’s continued progress despite a general lack of specific government funding. Deployment growth from the largest providers grew at a rate of 14.1 percent, while the smaller providers had 16.5 percent deployment growth.
The research also delved into new consumer data regarding broadband use, priorities and satisfaction along several metrics. These consumer insights cast a spotlight on how exactly fiber broadband is perceived and needed, as an individual technology and in comparison to other technologies.
For example, online needs are increasing for shopping, social media and single-player games requiring large, super-resolution television sets and websites with full video. Increasing numbers of home-based workers need online capabilities that only fiber can provide.
Reliability
Research also found FTTH has about 60 percent fewer service events compared to DSL or cable modem.
“Fiber keeps moving toward every end point from regional office, to central office, to node, to last split point, to the premise connections,” said Render.
Heather Burnett Gold, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, said across the board, fiber is meeting consumer and business needs and connecting people to a uniquely satisfying broadband experience.
“Commissioning key research such as the 2017 broadband report,” she added, “is one of the many ways that the Fiber Broadband Association serves the fiber industry, keeping us all informed about where this exciting technology is and where it is going.”
Gold said the Fiber Broadband Association is the only trade association in the Americas dedicated to the pursuit of all fiber optic network infrastructure to the home, to the business and to virtually everywhere. The association helps providers make informed decisions about how, where and why to build better broadband networks with fiber optics, while depending on the association and its members to lead the organization forward, collaborate with industry allies and propel fiber optic deployment forward.
Gold said that since 2001, these companies, organizations and people have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build a better broadband future here and around the world.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
RVA LLC
(918) 592-3100, rvallc.com
Fiber Broadband Association
(202) 524-9552, fiberbroadband.org
Comments