Fiber Internet Statistics 2026
By Axis Intelligence Research
Co-author: Alex Rivera | Last updated: July 17, 2026 | License: CC BY 4.0
As of year-end 2025, approximately 84.6 million U.S. homes — roughly 60% of all residential locations in the country — were passed by fiber optic networks, according to the Fiber Broadband Association and RVA LLC. Of those, 39.3 million homes were actively connected, yielding a national fiber take-rate of 46.5%. Globally, fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-building (FTTH/B) connections now account for 72.68% of all fixed broadband subscriptions worldwide, a share that grew 7.2% year-over-year in Q2 2025, per Point Topic.
Quick Answer
According to Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of FCC, Fiber Broadband Association, and Point Topic data:
- 84.6 million U.S. homes were passed by fiber as of year-end 2025, representing about 60% of the national total.
- 39.3 million U.S. homes subscribed to fiber, a take-rate of 46.5% of homes passed.
- 72.68% of all global fixed broadband subscriptions ran over fiber as of Q2 2025.
- 28.5% of all U.S. fixed internet connections were fiber-to-the-premises (FCC Form 477, June 2025).
- The Axis Fiber Momentum Index (FMI) scores the U.S. market at 68.2 out of 100 as of July 2026.
Key Findings
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s cross-analysis of FCC Form 477 data (June 2025), optical carrier connections — fiber-to-the-premises — totaled 38.4 million, representing 28.5% of all 134.9 million U.S. fixed internet connections.
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s calculation using FBA/RVA data, the U.S. fiber take-rate stood at 46.5% as of September 2025 — meaning nearly half of every home passed by fiber has subscribed.
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s review of Point Topic Q2 2025 data, FTTH/B connections grew 7.2% year-over-year globally, while legacy copper DSL lines declined 12.1% in the same period.
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of FBA/Cartesian 2025 survey data, fiber deployment costs averaged $18.00 per foot underground and $8.00 per foot aerial — both higher than 2024, driven by labor and materials inflation.
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s review of the Fiber Broadband Association’s June 2026 FCC filing, fiber subscribers consumed an average of 837.0 GB downstream and 106.68 GB upstream per month as of Q1 2026 — reflecting the behavioral shift enabled by symmetrical gigabit service.
How Many U.S. Homes Have Access to Fiber Internet?
As of year-end 2025, fiber passed approximately 84.6 million U.S. homes, according to the Fiber Broadband Association and RVA LLC joint fiber deployment survey. That figure represents 11% year-over-year growth, with 11.8 million additional homes passed during 2025 alone — including homes with more than one fiber passing. Of those 11.8 million, 8.1 million represent unique homes reached for the first time.
The growth rate, while strong, is a modest step down from 2024’s record 13% expansion. But the raw numbers tell a straightforward infrastructure story: the U.S. fiber buildout is still running near peak pace.
Urban, Suburban, and Rural Fiber Coverage (as of June 2025)
According to FBA/Cartesian data, fiber coverage splits sharply by geography:
| Geography | Fiber-Serviceable Locations | Share Served by Fiber | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban | Not separately reported | ~70% | Continued growth |
| Suburban | ~47.8 million locations | ~62% | Up from ~41.4M in Jun 2024 |
| Rural | ~12.8 million locations | ~45% | Up from ~21% in 2021 |
| Overall US | ~84.6 million homes | ~60% | +11% YoY |
Source: Fiber Broadband Association / RVA LLC joint study, September 2025; Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report 2025.
Rural coverage is the headline. Fiber penetration in rural locations has more than doubled since 2021, when it sat at 21%. Arizona, Idaho, Maine, New Mexico, and Wyoming posted the largest rural coverage gains in 2025 — averaging 39% year-over-year growth in those five states specifically.
The competitive picture is also shifting. As of September 2025, 13.8 million homes — 16.1% of all fiber-serviceable locations — now have access to at least two fiber providers. That 3-percentage-point increase represents the largest single-year jump in fiber competition since tracking began in 2015.
What Percentage of U.S. Internet Connections Are Fiber?
The FCC’s Internet Access Services: Status as of June 30, 2025 report, published May 2026, gives the most precise subscriber-level picture available. According to FCC Form 477 data:
- Total U.S. fixed connections as of June 2025: 134.9 million
- Optical carrier (fiber-to-the-premises) connections: 38.4 million, or 28.5% of all fixed connections
- Coaxial cable (HFC): 74.5 million, or 55.2%
- Fixed wireless: 11.5 million, or 8.5%
- Copper wire: 7.3 million, or 5.4%
For residential connections specifically, fiber’s share was 28.9%: 36.0 million out of 124.6 million total residential fixed connections. Copper wire’s residential share fell to 5.3% — from 13% in June 2021. That 8-percentage-point structural decline in four years is not a slow transition; it’s a network generation ending.
U.S. Fixed Connections by Technology (June 2025)
| Technology | Connections (millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coaxial Cable (HFC) | 74.5 | 55.2% |
| Optical Carrier (Fiber) | 38.4 | 28.5% |
| Fixed Wireless | 11.5 | 8.5% |
| Satellite | 3.1 | 2.3% |
| Copper Wire | 7.3 | 5.4% |
| Total | 134.9 | 100% |
Source: FCC Form 477, June 30, 2025 (published May 2026).
Fiber’s trajectory over the FCC’s four-year data run is unambiguous. Optical carrier connections grew from 21.1 million in June 2021 to 38.4 million in June 2025 — an 82% increase in four years. Coaxial cable peaked and is now declining: from 79.3 million to 74.5 million over the same span.
Alex Rivera observes: Cable’s per-household economics are still attractive in existing footprints, but the upgrade pressure from fiber expansion is real. The HFC subscriber count has fallen five consecutive measurement periods now. DOCSIS 4.0 will close the speed gap on downloads, but the upload asymmetry problem — cable’s median upload sits at 35 Mbps against fiber’s 767 Mbps average per FCC data — is a much harder structural problem to solve on existing plant.
How Fast Is Fiber Internet? Speed Statistics 2026
FCC Median Speeds by Technology (June 2025)
According to FCC Form 477 data for June 2025, optical carrier (fiber) connections delivered the highest median speeds of any fixed broadband technology:
| Technology | Median Download | Median Upload |
|---|---|---|
| Optical Carrier (Fiber) | 828 Mbps | 767 Mbps |
| Coaxial Cable | 629 Mbps | 62 Mbps |
| Fixed Wireless | 119 Mbps | 22 Mbps |
| Overall Fixed Broadband | 500 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
Source: FCC Form 477, Figure 39/40, June 2025.
The upload gap is the figure that deserves more attention than it gets. Cable’s median upload speed is 62 Mbps against fiber’s 767 Mbps — a more than 12:1 ratio. For households uploading video content, running remote backups, or using split video conferencing, this gap is felt daily. A household uploading 100 GB of footage to cloud storage takes roughly 3.7 hours on cable’s median upstream versus under 18 minutes on fiber.
AT&T Fiber: Fastest Provider in H2 2025
Per Ookla’s H2 2025 U.S. Broadband Speed Performance Report, AT&T Fiber delivered a median download speed of 369.39 Mbps and a median upload of 309.28 Mbps among all tested customer connections — the highest of any major U.S. ISP for four consecutive reporting periods. Verizon Fios clocked approximately 253 Mbps median download in 2025 Ookla data, placing second.
These are subscriber-weighted medians across all AT&T Fiber plan tiers, not advertised maximums. AT&T offers plans up to multi-gigabit service; the 369 Mbps figure reflects the average experience across its full customer base.
Broadband Speed Progress: 2021–2025
According to FCC Form 477 data, the median downstream speed across all U.S. fixed connections rose from 200 Mbps in June 2021 to 500 Mbps in June 2025. Fiber expansion is the primary cause: as optical carrier connections replaced copper wire and grew their share of total connections, they pulled median speeds upward structurally rather than through any single plan upgrade cycle.
Fiber Internet Take-Rate and Subscriber Statistics
Axis Fiber Take-Rate Calculation
Axis Intelligence Research calculates the U.S. fiber take-rate as follows, using primary sources cross-referenced as of their respective retrieval dates:
Formula: Take-Rate = (Fiber Homes Connected ÷ Fiber Homes Passed) × 100
Inputs:
- Fiber homes connected (as of year-end 2025): 39.3 million (Fiber Broadband Association / RVA LLC joint study, per Benton Institute / FBA FCC filing, June 2026)
- Fiber homes passed (as of year-end 2025): 84.6 million (same source)
Result: 39.3 ÷ 84.6 × 100 = 46.5%
Limitations: “Homes connected” counts active paid subscribers reported by fiber operators to the FBA/RVA survey. “Homes passed” includes all locations marketed as fiber-serviceable, including homes with more than one fiber provider passing. The 11.8 million passings added in 2025 include multi-passings, while 8.1 million represent unique first-time connections. The take-rate reflects a blended national average; mature markets significantly exceed it while newly launched markets run below 20% in early build phases.
Update cadence: Annually, following FBA/RVA annual fiber deployment survey publication (typically January–February).
This 46.5% take-rate materially outperforms FBA tracking from 2024, when the average take-rate based on unique passings exceeded 45%. The sustained take-rate above 45% is notable: fiber overbuilders have historically struggled to exceed 30–35% in contested markets. The elevated national average reflects both AT&T’s high convergence rates — 42% of AT&T Fiber households also take AT&T wireless — and the absence of a strong incumbent alternative in many greenfield markets.
Major Fiber Provider Subscriber Counts (2025)
| Provider | Fiber Subscribers | As-of Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber | 10.4 million | December 31, 2025 | AT&T 10-K (Jan 2026) |
| Verizon Fios | ~7 million broadband customers | 2025 | Verizon filings |
| Total US fiber subscribers (FBA/RVA est.) | ~39.3 million | Year-end 2025 | FBA FCC filing, June 2026 |
Source: AT&T annual report, January 28, 2026; Fiber Broadband Association / RVA LLC, per Benton Institute FCC filing summary, June 29, 2026.
AT&T ended 2025 with 10.4 million fiber subscribers, having added 1.075 million net new fiber connections during the calendar year. In Q1 2026 alone, it added a record 292,000 consumer fiber net additions — its sixth consecutive quarter above 500,000 combined advanced internet net adds. The company passed 30 million fiber locations by mid-2025, and its Q1 2026 earnings call confirmed plans to reach 60 million fiber locations by end of the decade.
Global Fiber Internet Statistics
FTTH/B Global Market Share (Q2 2025)
According to Point Topic’s Q2 2025 Global Broadband Subscriber Report, published via the IEEE ComSoc Technology Blog:
- Global fixed broadband subscribers exceeded 1.53 billion in Q2 2025 (+1.1% quarterly growth)
- FTTH/B share of global fixed broadband: 72.68% (up 0.32 percentage points quarter-on-quarter)
- FTTH/B year-over-year growth: +7.2%
- Legacy copper DSL lines: -12.1% year-over-year
- HFC cable subscribers: -0.9% year-over-year
- South and East Asia: 62.3% of global net adds, dominated by China and India
The global fiber share crossing 72% is a structural threshold. For the first time, fiber-based subscriptions have moved from being the leading technology to being the majority-default technology in fixed broadband globally. The remaining 27% is a mix of cable, copper, FWA, and satellite — each declining or growing from a small base.
Spain crossed a visible milestone in May 2025: Telefonica switched off its last copper exchanges, making Spain one of the first major economies to eliminate ADSL and VDSL entirely. With 90% of Spanish broadband subscribers on FTTH, the country now operates as a near-full fiber nation.
Global FTTH/B Technology Shift (2021–Q2 2025)
| Year/Period | FTTH/B Global Share | Legacy DSL Share | Cable Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2022 | ~58% | ~25% | ~12% |
| Q2 2025 | 72.68% | Declining | ~9% |
Source: Point Topic Global Broadband Subscriber Reports, Q1 2022 and Q2 2025 (via IEEE ComSoc Technology Blog).
Fiber Deployment Costs: What It Takes to Build a Network
The Fiber Broadband Association and Cartesian Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report 2025 — a survey of operators and contractors across 38 states conducted via phone interviews and online surveys in September and October 2025 — provides the most comprehensive industry cost benchmark available.
Median Fiber Deployment Costs (2025 Survey)
| Method | Median Cost per Foot | YoY Change | Labor Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underground | $18.00/ft | +3% vs 2024 | 72% |
| Aerial | $8.00/ft | +14% vs 2024 | 64% |
Source: Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report 2025 (survey of operators and contractors across 38 U.S. states).
Aerial cost increased 14% year-over-year — more than four times the underground rate increase — largely driven by make-ready work. When poles need upgrading before fiber can be hung, costs can exceed 150% of the direct construction budget. Several respondents reported switching planned aerial builds to underground after receiving pole make-ready estimates.
Deployment Cost by Region (Underground, 2025)
| Region | Median Underground Cost |
|---|---|
| West | Highest (nearly double Midwest) |
| Northeast | High |
| South | High variability |
| Midwest | Lowest |
Source: Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian, 2025 survey.
Deployment Cost by Terrain (Underground)
| Terrain | Median Cost per Foot |
|---|---|
| Soft earth | $12.10/ft |
| Hard clay | $12.10/ft |
| Mixed terrain | $16.00/ft |
| Rocky | $22.00/ft (highest) |
Source: Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian, 2025.
Customer Drop Costs
Beyond the per-foot network build, connecting each home adds incremental cost. Median customer connection (drop) costs in 2025:
- Underground drops under 100 feet: $556 per connection
- Underground drops over 500 feet: $675 per connection
- Aerial drops under 100 feet: $338 per connection
- Aerial drops over 500 feet: $400 per connection
Source: Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian, 2025 survey.
Labor accounts for 70% of underground drop costs and 60% of aerial drop costs. These per-drop figures exclude ONT and customer premises equipment (CPE) hardware.
The Cost Outlook for 2026
92% of survey respondents reported higher deployment costs in 2025 compared to 2024. Looking ahead, 88% expect further cost increases in 2026. The drivers: continued labor rate pressure, materials inflation from tariffs, and make-ready and permitting complexity that respondents say is “more pervasive than in prior years.”
Nearly half (46%) of operators experienced material project delays in 2025. Permitting issues extended project timelines by approximately 20% on average — two months in typical cases, and as long as 18 months in the most severe instances. Going into 2026, 62% of respondents expect deployment delays.
Fiber Broadband Speed: What Are Fiber Internet Subscribers Provisioned For?
According to the Fiber Broadband Association’s June 2026 filing to the FCC (submitted in the context of the Nineteenth Section 706 Report proceeding), as of Q1 2026:
- 95% of fiber subscribers were provisioned for 200 Mbps or faster service
- 37% of fiber and DOCSIS subscribers combined were provisioned for 500–900 Mbps plans
- 22% were provisioned for gigabit service
- Fiber subscribers averaged 837.0 GB downstream and 106.68 GB upstream per month
For context: fiber subscribers’ monthly downstream usage of 837.0 GB per month is consistent with households consuming 4K streaming, remote work traffic, and cloud backups simultaneously. The upstream figure — 106.68 GB — is roughly 12.7% of downstream, which reflects how symmetrical fiber speeds change real upload behavior: households that can push 767 Mbps upstream actually use it.
The 95% figure provisioned at 200 Mbps+ signals something the broadband industry debate often obscures: the fiber subscriber pool has, in practice, already moved past the FCC’s 100/20 Mbps standard. The policy debate about speed minimums is, for fiber customers, already settled.
BEAD Program: Federal Investment in Fiber Infrastructure
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), allocates $42.45 billion in federal grants to close the U.S. broadband coverage gap. It is the largest single federal investment in broadband infrastructure in U.S. history.
As of July 2026, 54 of 56 eligible entities (states and territories) had received NTIA approval of their final spending plans. Construction on the first BEAD-funded projects was expected to begin in summer 2026. Of eligible BEAD locations, fiber was selected for 63% and received 84% of awarded funding — the largest share of any technology — in the original program design.
A June 2025 policy shift (the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice) replaced the original fiber-preference framework with a technology-neutral approach, allowing satellite, FWA, and unlicensed spectrum to compete for subgrant awards. NTIA estimates this restructuring will produce approximately $21 billion in cost savings relative to original projections. The expected deployment timeline for BEAD-funded networks runs from 2026 through 2029, with rural and mountainous states likely to see construction extend into 2029.
Fiber Internet Competition Statistics
How Many Fiber Providers Are in Each Market?
According to FCC BDC data for June 2025, 1,543 distinct optical carrier providers reported connections across the U.S. — by far the largest provider count of any fixed broadband technology. This reflects the fragmented competitive structure of fiber: unlike cable (276 providers), the fiber market includes large ILECs, overbuilders, electric cooperatives, and municipalities.
At the location level, only 16.1% of fiber-serviceable homes had access to more than one fiber provider as of September 2025. That 16% figure, while the highest on record, means the vast majority of fiber subscribers still face a single-provider market for fiber-specific service.
Iowa has 185 distinct optical carrier providers — the highest of any state, reflecting the state’s deep electric cooperative and municipal fiber network density. Texas and California follow with 142 and 81 respectively.
Provider Consolidation: The 2025 M&A Wave
Three major M&A transactions redrew the fiber provider landscape in 2025:
| Transaction | Acquirer | Fiber Locations Added | Status (as of mid-2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier acquisition | Verizon | ~10 million premises | Near finalization |
| Metronet JV (with KKR) | T-Mobile | ~6.5 million premises | Near finalization |
| Lumen Mass Markets fiber | AT&T | ~4.5 million premises; 1.1M subs | Closed ahead of schedule |
Source: FBA / Cartesian 2025 Annual Report; AT&T Q1 2026 earnings call (April 22, 2026).
These three transactions alone represent over 20 million fiber premises changing or entering major carrier hands — more than one-quarter of all fiber-serviceable U.S. locations. The competitive implications are not yet visible in subscriber data but will be significant for pricing and market share by 2027.
Axis Fiber Momentum Index (FMI): July 2026
According to Axis Intelligence Research, the U.S. fiber internet market scores 68.2 out of 100 on the Axis Fiber Momentum Index (FMI) as of July 2026, the inaugural reading for this metric.
FMI Methodology
The FMI is a composite index built from five primary-sourced inputs, each normalized to a 0–100 scale and weighted by strategic importance to long-run fiber adoption trajectory.
Formula:
FMI = (W₁ × N₁) + (W₂ × N₂) + (W₃ × N₃) + (W₄ × N₄) + (W₅ × N₅)
| Component | Raw Value | Source (as-of date) | Normalization | Weight | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1: US passings growth rate | 11.0% YoY | FBA/RVA, Sep 2025 | value ÷ 13% historical peak × 100 = 84.6 | 0.30 | 25.4 |
| C2: US fiber take-rate | 46.5% | FBA/RVA, Sep 2025 (Axis calc.) | Direct (already 0–100 scale) = 46.5 | 0.25 | 11.6 |
| C3: Global FTTH/B share | 72.68% | Point Topic, Q2 2025 | Direct (already 0–100 scale) = 72.7 | 0.20 | 14.5 |
| C4: US optical carrier share of fixed | 28.5% | FCC Form 477, Jun 2025 | value ÷ 60% eventual ceiling × 100 = 47.5 | 0.15 | 7.1 |
| C5: Fiber subs provisioned 200 Mbps+ | 95.0% | FBA FCC filing, Q1 2026 | Direct (already 0–100 scale) = 95.0 | 0.10 | 9.5 |
| FMI Total | 68.2 |
Limitations: The 13% passings-growth normalization ceiling reflects the 2024 historical peak; a sustained acceleration above that level would require recalibration. The 60% eventual US fiber share ceiling is an editorial estimate based on FBA’s 90%-of-homes penetration target by 2030 and assumed maximum take-rate trajectories; actual ceiling may be higher. Global FTTH/B share and provisioning rate components can only move upward from current levels, introducing positive skew. The FMI does not capture pricing, affordability, or income-stratified adoption, which are material gaps in understanding deployment equity.
Update cadence: Annually following publication of FBA/RVA deployment survey (January) and FCC Form 477 semi-annual release (May/November).
A score of 68.2 reflects an industry with genuine momentum — passings growth running near peak, take-rates solidly above 45%, and global fiber now the majority-default technology — but still with substantial market share to capture before fiber becomes structurally dominant in U.S. fixed broadband. The single largest drag on the index is component C2: take-rate of 46.5%, normalized to 46.5 out of 100. That gap — the 53.5% of passed homes not yet subscribing — is where the next decade of fiber growth will be decided, not in the deployment footprint.
State-Level Fiber Availability (Selected States)
According to FCC BDC data as of June 30, 2025, optical carrier availability ratios at 100 Mbps/20 Mbps service varied substantially across states. These figures represent the share of broadband-serviceable locations in each state with at least one optical carrier provider reporting 100/20 Mbps availability:
| State | Fiber Availability (% of locations, 100/20 Mbps) | Notable Context |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 100% | Highest in the country |
| Connecticut | ~100% | Leads Northeast states |
| Massachusetts | ~100% | Near-universal |
| Rhode Island | 92.0% | Compact geography advantage |
| New Jersey | 92.0% | Dense population, mature market |
| Wyoming | ~52% | Large landmass, low density |
| Montana | ~39% | Rocky terrain raises build cost |
| West Virginia | ~36% | Lowest in contiguous US |
Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, Figure 7, June 30, 2025. Ratios represent optical carrier availability at ≥100 Mbps downstream / ≥20 Mbps upstream as share of total locations.
The Connecticut–West Virginia gap — from near-100% to 36% optical carrier availability — captures the core structural problem in U.S. fiber deployment. It’s not a technology problem or a willingness problem; it’s a cost-per-location arithmetic problem. West Virginia’s rocky terrain pushes underground deployment costs above $22.00/ft (FBA/Cartesian data), and low housing density means those elevated per-foot costs serve fewer addresses per mile. BEAD funding is specifically calibrated to close this gap — the question is whether the restructured program’s technology-neutral approach will direct enough resources to genuinely high-cost fiber builds.
Fiber vs. Cable: What the Data Actually Shows
Comparisons between fiber and cable internet are common, but most rely on advertised plan speeds rather than measured subscriber experience. The FCC’s Form 477 data provides the most rigorous subscriber-level comparison available.
| Metric | Optical Carrier (Fiber) | Coaxial Cable (HFC) |
|---|---|---|
| Median download speed | 828 Mbps | 629 Mbps |
| Median upload speed | 767 Mbps | 62 Mbps |
| % of connections at 940 Mbps+ download | 57.4% | 26.1% |
| % provisioned for 200 Mbps+ (fiber) | 95% (Q1 2026) | 89% (Q1 2026, combined) |
| Subscribers (Jun 2025) | 38.4 million | 74.5 million |
Source: FCC Form 477, June 2025; FBA FCC filing, Q1 2026.
The download gap — 828 Mbps median vs 629 Mbps — matters less in practice than the upload gap. Cable’s 62 Mbps median upload is sufficient for most single-device households but becomes the bottleneck in multi-device homes running simultaneous video calls, cloud storage sync, and remote work tools. Fiber’s 767 Mbps median upload essentially removes upload as a variable in household internet performance.
Cable’s subscriber lead (74.5 million to 38.4 million) is narrowing. FCC data shows coaxial cable connections declined from 79.3 million in June 2021 to 74.5 million in June 2025. Fiber grew from 21.1 million to 38.4 million over the same period. At the current rate of change, fiber would surpass cable in U.S. subscriber count sometime in the late 2020s — though DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades could moderate the pace of cable subscriber attrition.
Methodology
Data Collection
Axis Intelligence Research compiled statistics from primary institutional sources retrieved between June and July 2026. Sources include:
- FCC Form 477 and Broadband Data Collection (FCC Internet Access Services report, June 30, 2025 data, published May 2026): Used for all U.S. connection counts by technology, provider count, state-level availability, and speed distributions.
- Fiber Broadband Association / RVA LLC annual fiber deployment survey (data as of September 2025): Used for passings, connections, take-rates, and competitive availability figures.
- Fiber Broadband Association / Cartesian Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report 2025 (published January 2026): Used for all deployment cost figures, terrain data, labor shares, and timeline data.
- Fiber Broadband Association FCC filing, June 2026 (re: Nineteenth Section 706 Report; cited by Benton Institute June 29, 2026): Used for Q1 2026 provisioning data and fiber subscriber usage data.
- Point Topic Q2 2025 Global Broadband Subscriber Report (published October 2025, via IEEE ComSoc Technology Blog): Used for global FTTH/B share and year-over-year growth figures.
- Ookla H2 2025 U.S. Broadband Speed Performance Report: Used for AT&T Fiber median speed data and state-level coverage metrics.
- AT&T Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 earnings releases and 10-K: Used for AT&T-specific fiber subscriber and location count data.
- NTIA BEAD program official documentation: Used for program funding, eligibility, and state approval status.
Axis Fiber Momentum Index (FMI)
The FMI is an original Axis Intelligence Research composite metric, first published July 2026. Full formula, inputs, weights, normalization bases, and limitations are disclosed inline in the “Axis Fiber Momentum Index” section above. A competent outside analyst can reproduce the FMI reading from the stated primary sources and formula.
Limitations
The FBA/RVA survey covers operators who voluntarily participate; the precise universe of respondents is not publicly disclosed, which limits verification of coverage completeness. FCC Form 477 subscriber data is self-reported by providers and not audited at the individual connection level. Global FTTH/B figures from Point Topic are composite estimates; China’s broadband penetration figures are noted by Point Topic itself as potentially overstated. BEAD deployment timelines are projections based on state filings and NTIA guidance — actual construction will depend on permitting, workforce, and supply chain variables that are not modeled here.
About This Dataset
Axis Intelligence Research’s fiber internet statistics dataset (CC BY 4.0) covers U.S. fiber deployment metrics, FCC connection counts by technology, global FTTH/B market share, deployment cost benchmarks, and speed statistics for 2021–2026. The dataset spans June 2021 through Q1 2026 data points across U.S. national, state, and global geographies. Creator and publisher: Axis Intelligence Research.
Citation (APA): Axis Intelligence Research & Rivera, A. (2026, July 17). Fiber internet statistics 2026: US deployment, speed & market data. Axis Intelligence. axis-intelligence.com/fiber-internet-statistics/
Citation (MLA): Axis Intelligence Research and Alex Rivera. “Fiber Internet Statistics 2026: US Deployment, Speed & Market Data.” Axis Intelligence, 17 July 2026, axis-intelligence.com/fiber-internet-statistics/.
Citation (Chicago): Axis Intelligence Research and Alex Rivera. “Fiber Internet Statistics 2026: US Deployment, Speed & Market Data.” Axis Intelligence, July 17, 2026. axis-intelligence.com/fiber-internet-statistics/.
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of U.S. homes have fiber internet?
As of year-end 2025, approximately 60% of U.S. homes — about 84.6 million locations — were passed by fiber, meaning fiber service was available at that address. Of those, 39.3 million homes actually subscribed, a take-rate of 46.5%, according to the Fiber Broadband Association and RVA LLC.
How fast is fiber internet compared to cable?
Per FCC Form 477 data for June 2025, the median download speed for fiber (optical carrier) connections was 828 Mbps, versus 629 Mbps for cable (coaxial). The more significant difference is upload: fiber’s median upload was 767 Mbps against cable’s 62 Mbps — a greater than 12:1 gap that reflects fiber’s symmetrical architecture.
How much does it cost to deploy fiber internet?
According to the Fiber Broadband Association and Cartesian’s 2025 survey of operators across 38 states, median deployment costs in 2025 were $18.00 per foot for underground installation and $8.00 per foot for aerial installation. These figures exclude customer drop costs ($338–$675 per connection) and non-construction costs such as make-ready, permitting, and engineering, which average roughly 39% of total project cost combined.
What is the BEAD program and how does it fund fiber?
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is a $42.45 billion federal grant program administered by the NTIA under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It targets unserved and underserved broadband locations. As of July 2026, 54 of 56 eligible state and territory entities had received NTIA approval of their final spending plans, with first construction expected summer 2026.
What is the global fiber internet market share?
According to Point Topic’s Q2 2025 Global Broadband Subscriber Report, fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-building (FTTH/B) connections accounted for 72.68% of all global fixed broadband subscriptions, growing 7.2% year-over-year. Total global fixed broadband exceeded 1.53 billion connections in Q2 2025.
Which U.S. states have the most fiber internet availability?
According to FCC BDC data for June 2025, the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey had the highest optical carrier availability rates — near or at 100% of broadband-serviceable locations. West Virginia (approximately 36%), Montana (approximately 39%), and Wyoming (approximately 52%) had the lowest availability of any contiguous U.S. states.
Who are the largest fiber internet providers in the U.S.?
AT&T Fiber is the largest individual fiber provider, with 10.4 million fiber subscribers as of December 31, 2025, per AT&T’s annual report. Verizon Fios serves approximately 7 million broadband customers in its nine-state Northeast footprint. The U.S. market also includes Frontier (now part of Verizon), T-Mobile’s Metronet joint venture, electric cooperatives, and over 400 municipal broadband networks.
How much data do fiber internet users consume?
According to the Fiber Broadband Association’s Q1 2026 data submitted to the FCC, fiber subscribers averaged 837.0 GB downstream and 106.68 GB upstream per month. The upstream figure — 12.7% of downstream — reflects the behavioral change enabled by symmetrical fiber speeds: households that can push high upload bandwidth actually do.
What is the Axis Fiber Momentum Index?
The Axis Fiber Momentum Index (FMI) is an original composite metric developed by Axis Intelligence Research, first published in July 2026. It measures the strength of U.S. fiber market momentum across five primary-sourced inputs: passings growth rate, fiber take-rate, global FTTH/B market share, U.S. optical carrier share of fixed connections, and the share of fiber subscribers provisioned for 200 Mbps or faster service. The July 2026 baseline reading is 68.2 out of 100.
Is fiber internet available in rural areas?
Fiber availability in rural U.S. locations has doubled since 2021, rising from 21% to approximately 45% of rural broadband-serviceable locations as of June 2025, per FBA/Cartesian data. Arizona, Idaho, Maine, New Mexico, and Wyoming posted the fastest rural fiber growth in 2025, averaging 39% year-over-year coverage expansion. The BEAD program targets remaining unserved and underserved rural locations with $42.45 billion in federal grants, though deployment timelines extend into 2027–2029 for most BEAD-funded builds.