The number of U.S. communities with access to services delivered via fiber-to-the-home technologies has grown by 24, extending the total to 94 communities in 26 states, said the FTTH Council and Telecommunications Industry Association.
The latest figures come from a report prepared by Render, Vanderslice & Associates, the same firm that the Council contracted to assemble the first update, released in March 2003.
Recent additions to the list include Chatfield Corner-Gypsum, Colo.; Dalton, Ga.; Rochester, Ind.; and Norway, Maine. The report includes only communities where FTTH services are actually being offered today.
“We’re seeing unprecedented RFP activity and feasibility projects in the industry, providing momentum that should make 2004 a banner year for FTTH projects,” said FTTH Council President Mike DiMauro, in a statement.
Although many new FTTH deployments are tied to new housing developments and municipalities, some larger telcos are beginning to lend more of their attention to the technology. In late May, three telcos — BellSouth Corp., SBC Communications and Verizon — banded together to adopt standards and specs for advanced fiber-based systems. How quickly they will turn adoption into deployment remains questionable, however, as several large phone companies have partnered with DBS providers to fill the TV service hole.