Internet connectivity is regarded as a utility as was voice telephone service before it where most every address had service. Nevertheless as legacy telephone companies replace the twisted pair copper that delivered voice telephone service, less than half of the homes where it is available have fiber service, according to the Fiber Broadband Association’s 2024 Fiber Deployment survey by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA).
The 2024 survey estimates suggests that fiber now passes 56.5 percent of U.S. households with a bit less than half – around 45 percent – having fiber service. With IP connectivity considered a utility, one might expect that figure to be much higher, around 90 percent or more. Particularly given the pent up demand accumulated over decades as Internet Protocol (IP)-based services such as the web, email, and streaming video accelerated and IP connectivity became an essential element of commerce, education and medical care. Also, given fiber’s high desirability for reliability and capacity.
The most likely explanation is the growth of IP service over coax cable television infrastructure that grew rapidly since the mid-2000s as telephone companies delayed the transition to fiber, instead using their existing copper networks with digital subscriber line (DSL) technology.
Another probable factor that began to take off in the following decade is the smartphone. That allowed people to gain both mobile and home IP connectivity. Over the past few years, mobile providers like Verizon and T-Mobile have rolled out fixed wireless technology that some households are using instead of higher priced cable service.
The infrastructure for this service can be put in place much faster than fiber to the home. Until it reaches a natural capacity limit due to the technical limitations of high radio frequencies to reliably deliver service, it will satisfy at least some household demand for connectivity and deemphasize the role of fiber in meeting it.
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