Beyond a set of challenges related to duopoly (leads by AT&T and Verizon), broadband coverage, speed and affordability; one can observe that, much of the investment in fibre is being undertaken by a significant number of smaller players and municipalities.
The two key telcos including AT&T
and Verizon focus on a hybrid fibre/copper network and are limiting future
upgrades.
The market is also currently witnessing significant
investment activity in HFC upgrades with DOCSIS3.1 technology, and mobile
broadband networks.
Research and Markets reveals that, broadband services in most regions still lack
effective competition, with an effective duopoly operating in many areas of the
country.
However, the firm mentions that, the FCC's National
Broadband Plan envisages a greater role for public FttP networks in the pursuit
of its goals, and in the activities of muni-networks will form a large part of
the patch-work fibre deployments across the country in coming years.
According to Research and
Markets Key developments of this
market include:
- Cable ONE planning 1Gb/s
service across 200 cities during 2016;
- FttH Council counts 26
million premises passed with fibre;
- Google Fiber extended to
four more cities;
- AT&T, Verizon and
T-Mobile US announce plans for 5G trials by end-2016;
- T-Mobile US secures
additional 700MHz blocks for $1.3 billion;
- Google trials facial
recognition m-payment system;
- FCC considers both low-end
and high-end spectrum bands for possible 5G use;
- FCC prepares for auction of
600MHz broadcast spectrum;
- AT&T to close down 2G
infrastructure by end-2016;
- Comcast announces its first
DOCSIS3.1 markets;
- Altice Group acquires a 70%
stake in Suddenlink Communications, makes bid for Cablevision;
- $1.5 billion allocated to
round 2 of the Connect America Fund;
- New York state proposal for
$1 billion investment in broadband infrastructure;
- FCC rules 25Mb/s as a newly
defined broadband speed;
- Report update includes the
FCC's 2016 Broadband Progress Report, telcos' operating and financial data to
Q4 2015, recent market developments.