US Fiber Passes 60% of Households, Set to Overtake Cable by 2028
Updated
Updated · Spiceworks News and Insights · Jun 17
US Fiber Passes 60% of Households, Set to Overtake Cable by 2028
1 articles · Updated · Spiceworks News and Insights · Jun 17
Summary
Fiber broadband now passes more than 60% of U.S. households, and the Fiber Broadband Association says it could become the country’s dominant internet delivery platform as early as 2028.
That shift would mark a sharp change from June 2024, when cable still accounted for 59% of fixed broadband connections while fiber represented about 25%, even as gigabit connections climbed to 34.4 million from 8.6 million in 2020.
The group said expansion alone is not enough: 60 million potential first-time fiber passings remain, and 84% of possible second and third passings are still untapped, leaving room for more competing providers and lower prices.
The push comes as broadband demand keeps rising, with U.S. consumers spending $1.23 trillion online in 2025 and OpenVault reporting upstream and downstream data usage each grew by more than a third over three years.
Internationally, the U.S. still trails several OECD peers in fiber adoption despite having more than 130 million fixed broadband subscriptions, with countries such as Iceland at 93% and South Korea at 90% fiber penetration.
As satellite internet improves, is America's costly nationwide fiber rollout already becoming obsolete?
With fiber raising home values, how will the U.S. prevent a new 'digital redlining' from emerging in underserved communities?
With electric co-ops now building internet networks, are traditional ISPs about to face their biggest competitive threat in rural America?
2025 US Broadband Report: Fiber Expansion, Fixed Wireless Growth, and the Decline of Cable in a 78% Connected Nation
Overview
The US broadband market is experiencing major changes, with overall adoption steadily rising and 78% of adults now subscribing to high-speed service at home. This growth has been driven by new technologies like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), which has rapidly expanded thanks to providers such as T-Mobile and Verizon using their extra spectrum. As a result, market share is shifting from traditional cable to fiber and wireless options. These trends reflect a consistent upward movement in broadband adoption since the early 2000s, highlighting how innovation and competition are reshaping how Americans connect to the internet.