Fiber: Faster Internet and a wider gap

There is a danger of a growing digital divide as some households get fiber and others don't. Fiber to the home connections (FTTH) offer Internet 10 times faster than today's high speed Internet, and could soon be 100 times faster. High speed Internet, by some accounts, is currently available in 90 percent of the U.S. -- but even those who are connected will soon be dwarfed by speeds that FTTH can offer, allowing for lifelike video conferencing and enhanced distance learning opportunities, among other things. The same concerns with the traditional digital divide --that those with slow (or nonexistent) Internet connections will be left behind -- will be translated into the next generation of connections. It is crucial that U.S. homes get the fiber build out they need before, yet again, one section of the country is offered huge opportunities for everything from health to education, while others are left in their dust.

Access to next-gen Internet may be uneven (Washintgon Post)

Next generation of Internet will leave many more behind (Daily Herald)

Copper vs. Fiber: the New Digital Divide (Speed Matters)