FBA Presents – Findings from Fiber Broadband Association’s Third Annual Fiber Deployment Cost Study

The Fiber Broadband Association and Cartesian are proud to release findings from our third annual Fiber Deployment Cost Study. 

As private and public investment in fiber continues at unprecedented levels, understanding the true cost of deployment remains critical for providers, policymakers, and investors alike. With BEAD-funded projects moving into construction and network builds extending into more complex geographies, operators and contractors need reliable cost benchmarks to evaluate opportunities and plan effectively. 

This annual study was launched to support historic fiber deployment by delivering reliable, real-world insights into deployment costs across the United States. Building on prior years’ findings, the 2025 study examines how costs are evolving as deployment scales, market conditions shift, and projects navigate new terrains.  

Join us Thursday, January 29th at 12pm ET as we present the key findings from our third annual Fiber Deployment Cost Study (2025). Topics include: 

• Typical range of deployment costs for aerial and underground construction 
• How deployment costs breakdown between labor and materials 
• Impact of deployment-related factors on cost (e.g., density, terrain, construction method) and project timelines (e.g., permitting, locates, make-ready work) 
• Industry perspectives on how deployment costs changed over the past year and expectations for the year ahead 

Thanks to everyone who participated and contributed to the success of this study

Presented by: