It looks like Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse just lost one of their favorite acronyms. The Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council has officially changed its name to the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA).
The association, which advocates and tracks deployment of community-wide fiber optic system deployments, is making the move in order to accommodate the growing need for fiber to be passed to businesses, not just residences.
“Bringing fiber to the home was just the beginning,” says Heather Burnett Gold, president and CEO of the FBA in an article for Broadband Properties. “Our new name, the Fiber Broadband Association, bring us to where the industry has evolved — the arrival of fiber not just to the home but as the critical infrastructure of the economy. The new brand reflects this vision, guiding he scope of our activities, membership base and brand promise.”
To that point, data from Strategic Networks shows that 84 percent of businesses cite the speed of their broadband as either “important” or “essential” in determining whether or not the company remains in its current location.
Verizon FiOs, AT&T U-verse Lead the Way
The FBA will continue advocate for the acceleration of all-fiber access networks across the U.S. According to the association, there are 30 million U.S. homes with fiber optic networks “passed” to them (not necessarily connected).
That percentage represents a 16 percent growth rate in 2016, or about 4.2 million more homes. Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse and other telcos represent 83 percent of all fiber deployments. There are 13.7 million total U.S. homes connected to an outside fiber optic network.
Aggregated take rates for connections to fiber networks have fallen in recent years. The FBA says a decline is common during periods of aggressive build — as backbone builds occur faster than connections.
Integrators are more likely to be able to sell products like 4K/Ultra HD TVs when a home has a faster, clearer broadband communications network. Likewise, homes connected to community-wide fiber are less likely to experience latency with streaming media. Also, homeowners with fiber community networks are likely more aware of the benefits of running a fiber network inside the home itself.
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