White Paper: FBA Paper Outlines Fiber-First Framework for U.S. Broadband Leadership

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) has 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.

Key Priorities

• 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.

Key Quote

“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.”

Key Link

Read the White Paper