New Fiber Broadband Association Paper Outlines Fiber-First Framework for U.S. Broadband Leadership

New research underscores the need for fiber to support valuable long-term connectivity

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) today announced its latest policy paper, U.S. Broadband Policy’s North Star: Fiber is the Key to Closing the Digital Divide, offering a forward-looking framework for policymakers and industry leaders to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

The broadband industry is shifting from federal investment planning to execution and long-term network planning. The paper highlights the need to prioritize infrastructure that can support emerging technologies, economic expansion, and sustained connectivity demands. It emphasizes fiber broadband as the only technology capable of delivering the scalability, reliability, and performance required for an increasingly AI-driven, data-intensive future.

The paper also notes the economic opportunity tied to fiber deployment. Robust broadband infrastructure enables workforce development, supports rural innovation, and attracts investment in high-growth industries. Fiber is not just about connecting homes; it enables entire communities to fully participate in the modern economy.

“The decisions being made today will define the performance, resilience, and competitiveness of our networks for decades to come,” said Marissa Mitrovich, Vice President of Public Policy at the Fiber Broadband Association. “This paper is a call to action for policymakers to focus beyond short-term deployment metrics and prioritize infrastructure that can truly support the next generation of innovation.”

Several forward-looking priorities for U.S. broadband policy are outlined in the paper, including:

• Designing programs for long-term performance over short-term thresholds to ensure network viability as demand scales
• Accelerating permitting and deployment efficiency through standardized, technology-enabled processes
• Investing in middle-mile and backhaul capacity to support data centers, AI workloads, and regional economic growth
• Promoting sustainable adoption strategies that pair infrastructure deployment with affordability and digital skills initiatives
• Ensuring accurate data and mapping to guide future funding and eliminate gaps in connectivity

FBA’s research also explores how next-generation demands (particularly from AI, cloud computing, and data center expansion) are reshaping what “adequate broadband” means. These applications require ultra-low latency, high-capacity networks, reinforcing the need for fiber as the essential infrastructure.

These policy themes and more will be featured in the Broadband Policy Upload Program at Fiber Connect 2026. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 19, and will explore the policy considerations shaping industries and technologies that rely on fiber infrastructure, including data centers, smart cities, telehealth, precision agriculture, and cybersecurity.

Download the full policy paper here. To learn more about Fiber Connect 2026, visit fiberconnect.fiberbroadband.org or subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) is the voice of fiber, helping providers, policy makers, and communities make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. FBA is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists. Since 2001, FBA and its members have worked to advance fiber broadband deployment to accelerate innovation and increase quality of life by enabling every community to leverage the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MENA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.