Fiber Broadband Association Reports Record Fiber-To-The-Home Deployment in 2024

Annual survey data reveals 10.3M U.S. homes were passed by fiber in 2024, with room for continued growth

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Fiber Broadband Association today announced the results of the Fiber Deployment survey by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA). The survey concludes fiber broadband deployments reached a new annual record of 10.3 million U.S. homes passed in 2024. Including homes with more than one passing, there are now a total 88.1 million homes passed with fiber in the U.S. with continued growth expected over the next five years.

“The fiber broadband industry is experiencing record-breaking success, and there is a lot more runway left to go,” said Mike Render, Founder and CEO, RVA. “The addressable FTTH market remaining is still very large assuming about 70 million first passings left (including household growth) and an estimated 80 million more second or third FTTH passings to go.”

The 2024 survey data suggests that fiber now passes 56.5% of U.S. households. Fiber take-rates increased slightly in 2024, growing to an average of over 45% based on unique passings. Service providers are now achieving their first 20% take rate in a much faster period and reaching higher take rates over time.

The research also reports on supply chain and alternative broadband technology markets. RVA declared the fiber industry’s inventory issues generated by COVID-era stockpiling are now resolved with the average months of inventory estimates steadily going down. The research also concludes that, among those customers churning in the past two years, fiber’s main competitor, HFC cable, had a net loss of 33% in areas where fiber was available. RVA predicts cable will continue to see the migration of customers to fiber as well as cable providers replacing their legacy plant with fiber.

“In the midst of the current broadband boom, it is encouraging to see the preference for fiber growing,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association. “Fiber provides the most reliable, high-quality broadband experience compared to alternative technologies, making fiber the clear choice to connect communities and close the digital divide.”

Looking forward, the 2024 North American Fiber Provider Survey suggests strong investment in fiber will continue across private equity, mergers and acquisitions, capex reinvestment, and public funds. The 2025-2029 period could see more than a 50% increase in homes passed and more than a 100% increase in route miles to support homes passed. Furthermore, RVA predicts other growing markets—like data centers, middle mile, energy, quantum, and more—may keep the fiber industry strong for many years beyond the maturity of the FTTH boom.

RVA presented more survey findings, including industry challenges, during a recent Fiber for Breakfast episode, available for replay here. Also, subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated on FBA research, news, and more.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policymakers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.