For Immediate Release
April 26 , 2006

FTTH Reaches 936 Communities; 280 Added Since October 2005

WASHINGTON – April 26, 2006 – The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) today announced an updated list of “U.S. Optical Fiber Communities,” with the total rising to 936 communities in 47 states.  Prepared by RVA LLC (Render, Vanderslice and Associates), the list tracks communities nationwide that are delivering broadband services to residential customers through FTTH solutions.

The updated list shows that 280 communities were added since October 2005.  Further analysis shows more than four million homes have been passed with fiber, marking a 50 percent increase in the last six months, and that 671,000 homes have been connected, a 107 percent increase also since October 2005.

"These numbers are a big success in terms of public policy,” said Matt Flanigan, TIA president.  “Over the last few years, federal policymakers have recognized the value of removing barriers to next generation broadband deployment, such as lifting unbundling obligations on FTTH.  These decisions are having a very positive effect, although we still have a long way to go to ensure that all Americans have the bandwidth they need for tomorrow's applications.  We also need to keep pace with the broadband deployment of other nations, given the competitiveness of the global economy."

FTTH Council President Joe Savage added that the list demonstrates increased demand for unlimited bandwidth.  "Interest in FTTH is increasing across the board -- large and small telecom companies, municipalities, real estate developers and consumers,” said Savage.  ”All are recognizing the value of future-proof bandwidth availability, so we expect FTTH deployment to continue to grow dramatically."

The “U.S. Optical Fiber Communities List” is available at www.tiaonline.org, http://www.ftthcouncil.org/documents/959055.pdf, and www.rvallc.com.

About the Fiber-to-the-Home Council
The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of fiber-to-the-home 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. Communities and organizations interested in exploring FTTH options can find information on the FTTH Council Web site at http://www.ftthcouncil.org or by e-mailing info@ftthcouncil.org.

About the Telecommunications Industry Association
TIA is the leading trade association for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. As owner and producer of GLOBALCOMM™, TIA represents global ICT suppliers and their service provider and enterprise customers through its leadership in standards development, domestic and international policy advocacy, and facilitating member business opportunities. TIA represents the communications sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Visit us at http://www.tiaonline.org.

P.A. Release: JointPR06-03/04.26.06