The deployment of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology has shot up 83 percent since October 2004, according to a triad of fiber organizations.

The data – served up by the FTTH Council, Fiber Optic Communities of the United States (FOCUS) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) – also shows that FTTH reaches 398 communities in 43 states. The groups revealed the new numbers this week in Washington, D.C. A list of FTTH communities is available on the Web (PDF).

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), one of the press conference hosts, called the data “a great first step,” singling out Verizon’s effort (3 million homes passed by year-end) as one that is leading the way toward next-gen broadband infrastructure.