The Fiber Broadband Association and RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA) have released their annual consumer research report The Status of U.S. Broadband: The Growing Preference to Fiber Broadband. The 2023 study reveals fibre broadband is now considered the best internet service delivery method in terms of speed and reliability among 63% of all U.S. consumers, including 54% of cable users.
The annual report is built on consumer research, sponsored by the Fiber Broadband Association, and conducted by RVA. It focuses on internet use among U.S. online customers and the 2023 edition, conducted in May 2023, had a sample size of 4,000.
The study found that the underlying demand for high-quality broadband remains strong, as it was rated the second most important amenity in a home, only after a laundry room. It also showed that consumers show high interest in many future broadband applications that will increasingly require faster and more symmetrical internet, especially applications to support telehealth, senior independence, and home security.
When respondents were asked what type of internet service was the very best in terms of speed and reliability, fibre broadband won by a large majority with scores 2.5 times higher than the second candidate (cable). The Fiber Broadband Association said that it expects nearly as much fibre will be deployed during the next five years as has been deployed throughout history. In terms of market share, fibre broadband continues to gain on cable. Further, among the 17% of consumers changing internet service providers in the past two years, fibre delivery had a net gain of 15 market share points, while cable delivery had a loss of 14 share points. This is true even though cable service is currently almost twice as available as fibre in the U.S.
Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association says: “These results underscore the fact that high-speed broadband is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity for any person to successfully participate in today’s society. We’ve known how important broadband is to the U.S., and every year this study reveals that the preference for fibre broadband is growing wildly. Connecting every community to fibre will enable digital equality and raise the quality of life for generations to come.”
