The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) has released its annual Fibre Deployment Survey, performed by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA), which reveals that 2025 set an all-time record for fibre broadband growth. Fibre broadband deployments reached 11.8 million US homes passed in 2025 alone, totaling 98.3 million FTTH passings when including homes with more than one passing. Canada hit a total of 14.5 million fibre passings – nearly 75 per cent of Canadian households.

According to the survey results, the US is well on its way to fibre availability goals, with fibre broadband now passing over 60 per cent of US households and on track to overtake cable and all other technologies as the dominant US delivery platform as early as 2028. Even after this massive progress, 60 million potential first-time fibre passings remain, and 84 per cent of potential second and third passings remain untapped, creating opportunity for overbuilding and competitive fibre deployments.

Beyond actual passings, the survey data indicates that average take rates climbed to 46.5 per cent for primary passings, and when a secondary provider enters a fibre market, total FTTH take rate jumps to about 61 per cent, demonstrating that fibre-to-fibre competition actually grows adoption.

“We’re at a major inflection point in the US broadband market. Competition among fiber providers has intensified, and the data shows that customer experience is now a top defining factor separating market leaders from the rest,” said Mike Render, Founder and CEO at RVA. “Consumers consistently rate fibre highest across every performance category and that preference is accelerating adoption. Fibre speed, latency, and jitter advantages are also seen in speed tests taken during surveys. As more providers enter the market and expand their networks, we expect this momentum to continue and further solidify fibre as the premier broadband technology in the United States.”

Beyond consumer broadband, emerging markets will continue to keep fibre demand strong for years. These emerging segments, including data centres, tower and small cells, grid and energy infrastructure, inside-home fibre, quantum, AI and fibre sensing, are early in market maturity and offer long-term growth potential beyond traditional FTTH. Consequently, investment in fibre broadband continues. Despite challenges with RDOF and BEAD, government investment is still significantly boosting FTTH passings and construction. Additionally, a change in federal tax law will restore 100 per cent bonus depreciation in 2026, likely fueling a 5-15 per cent FTTH Capex increase.

“This year’s survey reinforces what we’re seeing across the industry: fibre has become the clear technology of choice for both network operators and consumers. Deployment is accelerating, investment remains strong, and fibre now reaches more US households than ever before,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at FBA. “At the same time, new markets are expanding the role fibre plays in our digital economy. These trends point to sustained long-term growth and underscore the importance of continued fibre deployment to meet future demand.”