Fiber Builds in May 2025 FCC Broadband Data
To support investment in high-speed internet networks access across the U.S., the FCC continues to update its National Broadband Map using data from ongoing Broadband Data Collection (BDC) efforts. Since June 2022, internet service providers (ISPs) have been required to submit detailed service availability data, which the FCC validates to track broadband access nationwide. After each release, Cartesian analyzes the latest changes to provide actionable insights that help telco industry leaders align their strategies with evolving broadband coverage trends.
The latest BDC update, released on May 12, 2025, reflects data through December 2024 and marks the sixth round of broadband data reporting. Each new release shows steady growth in coverage and offers valuable insights into unserved and underserved areas, helping inform funding decisions and infrastructure planning. Below are key takeaways from the latest BDC release and what it means for the future of broadband.
Growth in fiber deployment continues
The latest FCC Broadband Data Collection reveals continued momentum in fiber deployment across the United States. This growth reflects efforts to replace legacy infrastructure such as copper and hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) systems, as well as to expand coverage into unserved and underserved communities.
Key drivers behind the surge in fiber deployment include:
Incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) upgrading legacy copper networks to support faster, more reliable internet service.
Overbuilders including several newer providers backed by strong funding, looking to grow their market presence through competitive fiber builds.
Multiple-system operators (MSOs) transitioning away from legacy HFC technology in existing footprint, infill, and edge-outs to more future-proof and lower-cost fiber networks.
These developments point to a broader industry shift toward upgraded broadband infrastructure, with fiber as the foundation for long-term connectivity needs.
The chart below shows the top 25 largest fiber builds by ISP in the second half of 2024.
Residential Fiber Deployment by Internet Service Provider:
| Provider | Internet Service Provider Type | Fiber Location June 2024 | Fiber Locations Dec 2024 | Fiber Locations Net Change 2024H2 | Fiber Locations % Change 2024H2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | ILEC | 15,906,615 | 16,872,601 | 965,986 | 6% |
| Frontier | ILEC | 5,228,087 | 5,707,896 | 479,809 | 9% |
| Spectrum | MSO | 977,565 | 1,321,383 | 343,818 | 35% |
| Everfast Fiber | Overbuilder | 35,292 | 291,237 | 255,945 | 725% |
| Metronet | Overbuilder | 1,538,553 | 1,739,283 | 200,730 | 13% |
| Lumen | ILEC | 2,641,252 | 2,807,436 | 166,184 | 6% |
| Ziply | ILEC | 664,439 | 820,957 | 156,518 | 24% |
| Astound | Overbuilder | 236,019 | 367,467 | 131,448 | 56% |
| Google Fiber | Overbuilder | 1,492,039 | 1,612,768 | 120,729 | 8% |
| LiveOak Fiber | Overbuilder | 56,225 | 145,191 | 88,966 | 158% |
| Consolidated | ILEC | 778,132 | 867,039 | 88,907 | 11% |
| Comcast | MSO | 495,351 | 576,934 | 81,583 | 16% |
| Conexon Connect | Co-op | 250,168 | 330,271 | 80,103 | 32% |
| Optimum | MSO | 2,116,738 | 2,195,544 | 78,806 | 4% |
| Verizon | ILEC | 9,002,024 | 9,076,212 | 74,188 | 1% |
| Lumos | Overbuilder | 189,122 | 260,112 | 70,990 | 38% |
| Omni Fiber | Overbuilder | 78,314 | 148,677 | 70,363 | 90% |
| Windstream | ILEC | 1,206,680 | 1,275,532 | 68,852 | 6% |
| Nextlink | Overbuilder | 26,359 | 88,543 | 62,184 | 236% |
| Allo | Overbuilder | 310,001 | 365,643 | 55,642 | 18% |
| Altafiber | ILEC | 827,879 | 880,703 | 52,824 | 6% |
| US Cellular | Overbuilder | 681,085 | 728,252 | 47,167 | 7% |
| Glo Fiber | Overbuilder | 251,852 | 295,318 | 43,466 | 17% |
| Cox | MSO | 503,658 | 546,714 | 43,056 | 9% |
| Sparklight | MSO | 264,537 | 304,026 | 39,489 | 15% |
Note: Fiber locations defined as residential BSLs (Broadband Serviceable Locations), which may correspond to >1 housing unit for multi-family properties. Source: FCC BDC, Cartesian analysis
As the chart shows, a notable number of the largest fiber builders are MSOs. Also worth highlighting are several newer entrants gaining ground – Everfast Fiber, LiveOak Fiber, and Omni Fiber – among top fiber deployers.
Fiber deployment funding is supported by public and private funding
The ongoing expansion of fiber broadband is being driven by a combination of federal, state, local and private funding sources. At the federal level, programs like BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) and RDOF (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund) continue to play a significant role in the increased fiber availability, while numerous state and local initiatives have supported additional deployments. On the private side, strong financial backing has enabled providers to scale fiber builds quickly and efficiently.
Among the 56 states and territories reporting in the latest BDC data, nearly half (26) increased their broadband serviceable locations at a rate exceeding the 7% national average during the second half of 2024. These above-average gains may be tied to a mix of factors, including the strength of state-led broadband programs and the availability of existing infrastructure that can support faster rollout timelines.
The chart below illustrates the rate of fiber builds by state in the second half of 2024.
Residential Fiber Deployment by State:
| State / Territory | Fiber Locations June 2023 | Fiber Locations Dec 2023 | Fiber Locations June 2024 | Fiber Locations Dec 2024 | Fiber Locations Net Change 2024H2 | Fiber Locations % Change 2024H2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | 25,131 | 29,551 | 36,070 | 40,958 | 4,888 | 14% |
| AL | 860,231 | 1,042,785 | 1,083,134 | 1,152,442 | 69,308 | 6% |
| AR | 563,554 | 680,828 | 759,951 | 794,345 | 34,394 | 5% |
| AS | 8,794 | 9,534 | 8,828 | 8,841 | 13 | 0% |
| AZ | 432,880 | 492,769 | 668,237 | 754,259 | 86,022 | 13% |
| CA | 3,717,255 | 3,893,188 | 4,085,367 | 4,240,158 | 154,791 | 4% |
| CO | 647,514 | 759,994 | 858,288 | 958,001 | 99,713 | 12% |
| CT | 712,631 | 758,895 | 822,069 | 859,294 | 37,225 | 5% |
| DC | 105,661 | 105,613 | 105,983 | 107,118 | 1,135 | 1% |
| DE | 203,957 | 211,407 | 215,888 | 218,892 | 3,004 | 1% |
| FL | 3,249,200 | 3,494,662 | 3,777,793 | 4,037,697 | 259,904 | 7% |
| GA | 1,795,061 | 1,950,308 | 2,097,988 | 2,243,282 | 145,294 | 7% |
| GU | 1,335 | 5,805 | 8,785 | 11,100 | 2,315 | 26% |
| HI | 163,718 | 184,797 | 202,654 | 221,830 | 19,176 | 9% |
| IA | 707,445 | 779,507 | 848,054 | 923,226 | 75,172 | 9% |
| ID | 177,683 | 204,672 | 235,869 | 278,358 | 42,489 | 18% |
| IL | 1,207,978 | 1,314,060 | 1,385,151 | 1,498,066 | 112,915 | 8% |
| IN | 1,287,933 | 1,420,790 | 1,522,503 | 1,612,460 | 89,957 | 6% |
| KS | 644,139 | 714,861 | 775,799 | 847,704 | 71,905 | 9% |
| KY | 977,135 | 1,096,435 | 1,098,596 | 1,165,540 | 66,944 | 6% |
| LA | 623,673 | 687,002 | 749,092 | 861,090 | 111,998 | 15% |
| MA | 897,124 | 917,060 | 949,589 | 980,810 | 31,221 | 3% |
| MD | 1,106,085 | 1,124,129 | 1,153,085 | 1,176,417 | 23,332 | 2% |
| ME | 197,085 | 232,922 | 252,610 | 302,308 | 49,698 | 20% |
| MI | 997,816 | 1,017,821 | 1,152,290 | 1,267,437 | 115,147 | 10% |
| MN | 797,704 | 900,088 | 972,666 | 1,093,470 | 120,804 | 12% |
| MO | 1,094,353 | 1,201,811 | 1,372,426 | 1,421,901 | 49,475 | 4% |
| MP | – | – | 67 | 68 | 1 | 1% |
| MS | 644,616 | 702,385 | 731,463 | 810,785 | 79,322 | 11% |
| MT | 118,869 | 130,852 | 143,180 | 150,351 | 7,171 | 5% |
| NC | 1,700,370 | 1,913,960 | 2,113,720 | 2,246,822 | 133,102 | 6% |
| ND | 227,680 | 223,789 | 224,317 | 232,181 | 7,864 | 4% |
| NE | 463,722 | 491,326 | 548,979 | 577,727 | 28,748 | 5% |
| NH | 249,133 | 265,632 | 279,235 | 307,558 | 28,323 | 10% |
| NJ | 1,597,570 | 1,624,243 | 1,680,286 | 1,695,249 | 14,963 | 1% |
| NM | 134,534 | 155,624 | 170,748 | 181,757 | 11,009 | 6% |
| NV | 235,815 | 263,833 | 304,279 | 338,108 | 33,829 | 11% |
| NY | 2,763,346 | 2,848,945 | 2,957,565 | 3,045,183 | 87,618 | 3% |
| OH | 1,737,035 | 1,729,939 | 1,911,524 | 2,055,435 | 143,911 | 8% |
| OK | 787,651 | 855,612 | 942,206 | 1,007,020 | 64,814 | 7% |
| OR | 609,411 | 666,488 | 710,835 | 768,777 | 57,942 | 8% |
| PA | 2,204,071 | 2,333,456 | 2,489,191 | 2,596,708 | 107,517 | 4% |
| PR | 543,100 | 733,129 | 741,081 | 782,736 | 41,655 | 6% |
| RI | 264,700 | 265,267 | 284,022 | 287,202 | 3,180 | 1% |
| SC | 940,652 | 1,013,189 | 1,081,640 | 1,174,149 | 92,509 | 9% |
| SD | 213,874 | 226,061 | 248,819 | 234,058 | -14,761 | -6% |
| TN | 1,545,889 | 1,754,141 | 1,788,410 | 1,893,225 | 104,815 | 6% |
| TX | 5,159,735 | 5,573,208 | 5,980,846 | 6,398,143 | 417,297 | 7% |
| UT | 534,597 | 579,306 | 631,982 | 657,062 | 25,080 | 4% |
| VA | 1,540,313 | 1,631,269 | 1,742,842 | 1,801,757 | 58,915 | 3% |
| VI | – | – | 2,475 | 12,073 | 9,598 | 388% |
| VT | 105,843 | 128,359 | 139,278 | 138,589 | -689 | 0% |
| WA | 789,489 | 823,918 | 852,402 | 999,762 | 147,360 | 17% |
| WI | 760,512 | 861,952 | 921,305 | 1,027,193 | 105,888 | 11% |
| WV | 200,391 | 219,198 | 260,489 | 292,657 | 32,168 | 12% |
| WY | 63,568 | 71,842 | 77,327 | 99,707 | 22,380 | 29% |
| Grand Total | 49,339,561 | 53,318,217 | 57,159,278 | 60,889,046 | 3,729,768 | 7% |
Note: Fiber locations defined as residential BSLs (Broadband Serviceable Locations), which may correspond to >1 housing unit for multi-family properties. Source: FCC BDC, Cartesian analysis
With each new BDC release, Cartesian will continue to deliver the insights that matter most—tracking trends in fiber deployment, the impact of BEAD funding, and shifts in broadband service availability—to ensure stakeholders stay informed and well-positioned to act.
FCC BDC data is one of many large public and 1st party datasets that Cartesian analyzes for our clients. We maintain an automated data pipeline that allows us to deliver timely business insights while supporting client operations. Please contact us to learn how our technical capabilities and industry knowledge can support your business.
