Fiber

Fiber Broadband Report Notes Significant Progress on Fiber Deployment, Increased Costs

More than 60% of U.S. households now are serviceable by fiber. But 92% of respondents said costs have risen since 2024

Eric Urbach

Jan 20, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of Virginia's BARC Electric Cooperative's installing fiber optic cables to the existing electrical poles From U.S. Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON, Jan. 202, 2026 – The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) released its yearly fiber deployment report Tuesday, showing that 60 percent of all U.S. households now are serviceable by fiber, with more than 16 percent of households having access to multiple providers.

This milestone was achieved despite providers noting significant cost increases driven by rising labor costs, pressures from tariffs and inflation among others, according to the report. Even with these increased costs, the report highlights that 84.6m homes in the U.S. now have access to fiber, representing an 11 percent increase from 2024.

“Overall, fiber’s outlook remains strong, supported by public funding, private investment, and continued demand from both consumers and hyperscalers,” the report said. “Successfully managing rising costs and deployment complexity will be key to sustaining this momentum.”

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Fiber FBA ILEC BEAD Gary Bolton

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