A group of telecommunications, networking, infrastructure, and communications-related industry companies recently formed the Fiber-To-The-Home Council Asia-Pacific (www.ftthcouncilap.org). The group's mandate is to promote the extension of fiber access across the Asia-Pacific region including Greater China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and Australia/New Zealand.

The group is a non-profit organization with members representing all areas of broadband industries. "History will show that the creation of the FTTH Council Asia-Pacific marked the transition of telecommunications in our region, from the constraint of copper loops to the enormous capacity and rich services that are only possible on optical fiber-to-the-home networks," said Shoichi Hanatani, president of the FTTH Council Asia-Pacific. "We see the introduction of FTTH as a global phenomenon. Our new organization will maintain close working links with the existing FTTH Council organizations in North America and Europe."

According to Dittberner Associates, the worldwide capital expenditures related to FTTH access technology will reach US$22.8 billion in 2013, from an estimated $3.7 billion last year. The firm also predicts that the Asia-Pacific region will be the largest market for FTTH access technology with 52.8% of the total, or $12 billion.

Colin Goodwin, founding member of the board and broadband product manager with Ericsson, said, "FTTH access networks are a strategic infrastructure for a region, just as much as road and airports. Our studies show that regions equipped with true broadband Internet enjoy improved business performance and economic advantage."

The FTTH Council Asia-Pacific has established teams of members who will engage governments, regulators, carriers, and the telecommunications industry throughout the region so that the drive toward FTTH is understood and accelerated.