Future-Proofing Broadband: The Strategic Imperative of FTTH for Cable Operators

MSOs have long depended on HFC networks powered by DOCSIS, but rising bandwidth demands and accelerating FTTH deployments are forcing a strategic rethink. PON-based FTTH outperforms DOCSIS 4.0 on speed, symmetry, scalability, latency, reliability, and long-term cost. While FTTH is the obvious choice in greenfield builds, brownfield markets are more complex due to legacy plant, capital limits, and organizational factors. A key challenge is aligning CTOs and CFOs around timing, cost, risk, and design. This paper compares FTTH and DOCSIS 4.0 performance and economics, and outlines strategies for building internal consensus on a unified fiber roadmap.