The future opportunity of fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments remains significant. About 140 million U.S. households are ready for broadband expansion. In addition, the immense data transmission requirements of emerging technologies will require fiber’s high speed, bandwidth and reliability, which widens the scope of the opportunity to fiber to the X (FTTx).
With so much work to do, the fiber optic industry continues to rise to the challenge. Clearfield CMO Anis Khemakhem highlighted fiber's incredible potential and main roadblocks at the 2025 Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA) Annual Convention and Trade Show.
"We want to get to fiber being a utility," Khemakhem said. "In the same way that our homes have electricity, water, sewer and gas connections, we should have the option of fiber optic connectivity."
Fiber broadband has already passed 76.5 million homes in the U.S., with a record 10.5 million of those passed in 2024 alone. About 45% of homes remain unconnected. But the industry is on track to meet the Fiber Broadband Association’s goal of connecting 90% of homes by 2030.
“Deploying fiber to 56 million underserved households has $3.24 trillion in economic impact,” said Khemakhem, citing a study published by the Fiber Broadband Association. “But one of the things that caught my eye is the fact now this scale of deployment has potential to create at least 380,000 new jobs in the U.S. economy.”
Innovative solutions for labor challenges
Workforce limitations create the biggest bottleneck in fiber deployment. Research shows that outside plant labor and construction equipment shortages have inhibited industry growth. According to market research firm RVA, providers estimate that they could have built 7% more infrastructure in 2024 if labor had not been such a constraint.
At Clearfield, we’re empowering providers to address these challenges through innovative approaches. We invest heavily in making fiber installation more accessible and efficient. Some of our key initiatives include:
- Training programs. We offer official Certified Fiber Optic Technician (CFOT®) training accredited by the Fiber Optic Association (FOA). We also provide no-cost basic installation and termination instruction through the Clearfield Certified Product Training Program and product-specific e-learning courses via Clearfield College.
- Digital learning tools. Clearfield partnered with the BILT app to create digital assembly instructions, making installation more intuitive. You can access the step-by-step 3D guidance via mobile devices and even VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro.
"We all learn differently," Khemakhem said. "The next generation is all about digitalization. We want to make sure we are embracing and supporting that."
On top of that, Clearfield’s Labor Lite and craft friendly solutions simplify installation processes even for seasoned professionals. Our engineers work directly with customers to design plug-and-play products that reduce errors and streamline deployment, helping your crews do more, faster and with less of a learning curve.
Unlocking the future of fiber broadband
States and providers continue to wait patiently to access BEAD funds. This program will be a major catalyst for broadband expansion, but fortunately, it’s not the only source of funding. Private investments are also driving fiber optic implementations nationwide.
Over the next five years, the industry will deploy more fiber miles across the country than in the previous 20 years combined, according to FBA. And those cables will be going to more than homes and offices. Fiber will be key to powering everything from autonomous cars and drone delivery to AI and edge computing and beyond.
"Fiber optics enables what's going to come," Khemakhem said. "Without fiber optic connectivity, it really limits what we can do."
Clearfield is at the forefront of this transformation, manufacturing BABA-compliant products and continuously developing solutions for more accessible and efficient fiber deployment. All combined, the industry’s efforts will unlock economic potential, support technological innovation and create jobs in communities across America.
Or, as Khemakhem told the crowd at MTA: "Whatever you can dream up, fiber will enable it."