According to the latest figures, FTTH/B networks currently reach approximately 295 million homes in the EU39, representing nearly 79% coverage. This is an increase of around 23 million new homes in the last year, confirming that fiber deployment continues to expand in Europe, although the pace is slowing as several markets approach advanced stages of coverage.
At the same time, fiber adoption continues to accelerate. The number of FTTH/B subscribers in the EU39 reached approximately 160 million, reflecting year-on-year growth of over 13%. The average penetration rate also increased to approximately 54%, improving by more than two percentage points year-on-year. This indicates steady progress in converting network availability into active connections, although a significant gap between deployment and adoption still exists.
Progress is also being made in rural connectivity. In the EU27 and the UK, around 65% of rural households now have FTTH/B coverage, an increase of about two percentage points year-on-year. This reflects the impact of public funding programs and specific initiatives aimed at connecting the most complex and underserved areas.
Looking ahead, the long-term outlook for fiber in Europe remains strong. According to market forecasts for 2025-2031, FTTH/B networks could reach approximately 353 million homes in the EU39 by 2031, with over 251 million active subscribers projected. These trends confirm the central role of fiber as the foundation of Europe's future digital infrastructure.
As a complement to the FTTH Council Europe's annual reports, the FTTH/B Global Ranking 2026 offers a comparative analysis of the position of European markets against other regions.
Francesco Nonno, President of the FTTH Council Europe, commented: “Europe has made remarkable progress in fiber deployment, but sustaining investments of this magnitude requires a stable and forward-looking political environment. Initiatives such as the Digital Networks Act and the upcoming Cybersecurity Act will be key to ensuring the financial stability and regulatory certainty needed to drive long-term investment.”
Vincent Garnier, CEO of the FTTH Council Europe, added: “As Europe approaches high levels of fiber coverage, the industry’s focus is changing. The next phase is about ensuring that fiber networks realize their full economic and social potential: accelerating adoption, driving the switch-off of copper networks, and enabling digital ecosystems such as cloud computing, data centers, artificial intelligence, immersive media, and advanced industrial automation.”
The full results of the European FTTH/B Market Panorama 2026 will be discussed during the FTTH Conference 2026.
