A report released today from Ovum-RHK shows that the number of Fiber To The Home (FTTH) subscribers within the US grew by 34 percent during the second quarter and 66 percent since the fourth quarter, 2005.

The 463,000 FTTH subscribers put the US second only to Japan in FTTH penetration. At the end of the first quarter, 2006 , Japan had over 5.4 million FTTH subscribers.

FTTH is a fiber connection leaving an end office or exchange and connecting directly to a home or premise without a DSL or LAN connection in between. Ovum-RHK attributes FTTH growth in the US largely to Verizon's FiOS initiative, the fiber-based , triple-play service Verizon is offering in parts of the US.

Verizon accounts for approximately 81 percent of all FTTH subscribers. AT&T, Qwest, CLECs, Independent Operating Companies (ICSs), and municipalities account for the remaining 19 percent of FTTH subscribers

There are currently over 900 cities/communities with FTTH deployments in the United States. Verizon is deploying FiOS in 730 communities. AT&T, Qwest, the CLECs, IOCs and municipalities account for the rest. Amongst the RBOCs, Qwest has the least amount of FTTH activity deploying selectively in Pinnacle Peak Arizona, Columbine and Aberdeen Colorado, and Riverton Utah.