FTTH Council and Telecommunications Industry Association release updated "U.S. Optical Fiber Communities'' list

29 September 2003 Washington Lightwave--The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) today released an update of "U.S. Optical Fiber Communities," an ongoing list of communities that are currently providing FTTH broadband services to customers. The updated list includes 24 new communities, bringing the total to 94 communities in 26 states. "U.S. Optical Fiber Communities," which was prepared by Render, Vanderslice & Associates of Tulsa, OK, was last released in March 2003.

"FTTH technology has made major strides in the past year," said Mike DiMauro, president of the FTTH Council. "We're seeing unprecedented RFP [request for proposal] activity and feasibility projects in the industry, providing momentum that should make 2004 a banner year for FTTH projects."

"Increasingly, U.S. consumers and businesses are enjoying access to high quality, widespread and affordable broadband services," said Matthew J. Flanigan, TIA president. "This ongoing growth in FTTH communities provides an important foundation for a 21st century communications network in the United States."

One of the most progressive FTTH communities is Provo, Utah, where city officials are reviewing a plan to make FTTH services available to all of the city's 32,000 homes and businesses by the end of 2005. Provo recently completed a FTTH pilot program and is currently delivering voice, video and/or data services to approximately 1,100 homes.

"The response has been fantastic," said Paul Venturella, telecommunications manager for the city of Provo. "People on the service are very pleased with it, and everybody else wants to know how soon they can get it." Provo is using its FTTH network to deliver innovative IP video-on-demand services - including elementary school musical performances and graduation ceremonies, city council meetings, and local university lectures - that have proved highly popular with subscribers.

According to Michael Render of Render, Vanderslice & Associates, interest in FTTH is growing rapidly as the benefits of FTTH networks become more established. He says, "There are FTTH feasibility studies, pilot programs and construction projects occurring all over the country - in communities like Fontana, CA; the UTOPIA consortium in Utah; Macon, MO; and Lewiston and Auburn, ME."

"In Fontana, we believe an advanced telecommunications infrastructure is a public necessity that will deliver significant benefits to our citizens and businesses," said Jan McClintock, information systems manager for the city of Fontana, CA, which issued an RFP for a city-wide FTTH network in June 2003. "FTTH technology is a great equalizer that will accelerate economic growth and project a positive image of the community. This is the way of the future and we are moving there today."

The FTTH Council is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of FTTH solutions. FTTH Council members represent all areas of broadband industries, including telecommunications, computing, networking, system integration, engineering, and content-provider companies, as well as traditional telecommunications service providers, utilities and municipalities.

The FTTH Council has organized its second annual FTTH Conference & Expo, set for New Orleans October 7 - 9.