Fiber is transforming from an emerging technology into the backbone of America’s digital and economic future
As broadband becomes an essential utility for households, businesses, and communities, the role of fiber technology continues to grow in shaping America’s digital future. This report, part of the Broadband in America series, provides a focused analysis on the fiber optic market, examining trends in deployment, adoption, and impact using Version 5 (June 2024) and Version 6 (December 2024) of the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC), alongside CostQuest’s® Location Fabric and National Cost Model data.
Fiber has transformed from a costly, limited broadband option in the early 2000s into a foundation of national infrastructure. Advances in reliability, speed, and cost efficiency – combined with recognition of fiber as a future-proof technology – have accelerated deployment, resulting in a 35.7% increase in fiber-connected Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs) since the release of the first BDC dataset in 2022. In the last six months, the fiber optic market saw an increase in fiber availability by 6.9% nationwide, reaching millions of new homes, with rural areas experiencing even stronger growth at 9.8%.
Federal funding has played a notable role in fiber optic expansion, contributing to 12% of nationwide fiber gains and accounting for a 31% increase in rural deployments. The economic impact extends beyond connectivity: $8.1 billion has been invested into local economies in the most recent six-month period, with nearly two-thirds flowing into rural communities. Deployment projects have also generated an estimated 105,000 full-time jobs – 66,000 of them in rural America – emphasizing fiber’s role as both a digital and economic engine.
This report highlights the fiber optic market’s trajectory from emerging technology to essential infrastructure, demonstrating its importance not only in bridging connectivity gaps but also in driving long-term economic development, job creation and community growth.
Click here to read the full Broadband in America Fiber Optic Report.
