NTCA Survey: rural broadband gaining ground

Competitive high speed internet access is on the rise in rural communities according to a National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) survey.

The survey of telecommunications members and small rural communications providers revealed that:

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of rural telco respondents with a fiber deployment strategy intend to offer FTTN (fiber to the node) to more than 75% of their customer base by 2011. Fifty-five percent plan to offer FTTH (fiber to the home) to more than half their customers in that same time frame--more than doubled from just 26% last year.

Broadband speeds increased significantly with 53% of service providers offering between 3 and 6 Mbps (up from 46% last year); 39% of ISPs now offer speeds in excess of 6 Mbps (up from 25% one year ago).

Nearly all of the service providers cited fiber deployment costs (rough terrain, distance, low customer density) as the biggest obstacle to broadband expansion in rural areas.

NTCA 2009 Broadband Survey Report (NTCA)

NCTA: Rural telcos turning to FTTH, FTTN for broadband (Lightwave)