Fiber-Based Broadband-Access Deployment in the United States

Abstract

After more than 20 years of research and development, a combination of technological, regulatory, and competitive forces are finally bringing fiber-based broadband access to commercial fruition. The three main approaches-hybrid fiber coax, fiber to the cabinet, and fiber to the home-are each vying for dominance in the industry, and each has significant future potential to grow customers and increase bandwidth and associated-service offerings. Further technical advances and cost reductions will be adopted, eventually bringing performance levels and bandwidth to gigabits-per-second rates when user demand warrants while keeping service costs affordable