Does fiber-to-the-premise really matter for AI and the edge?

It’s fairly obvious by now long-haul fiber and data center connectivity matter for AI innovation. But where do last mile fiber-to-the-premises deployments factor in? Network automation is perhaps the most apparent use-case, but fiber operators are also be well-positioned to house future AI edge applications. According to Jack Gold, founder and principal analyst at J.Gold Associates, fiber has an advantage at the edge as it’s an area where satellite providers like Starlink can struggle. “Starlink has a significant latency problem for things like AI, since the round trip to the satellite, and speed of network are vastly slower than a fiber connection, and more costly as well,” Gold said. Then there's using AI for FTTP network deployment and automation. Nokia recently unveiled the Broadband Easy platform, which leverages AI to provide operators “full visibility and control” of the entire fiber rollout process. Analysts indicated the technology could be a saving grace for companies riddled with rising deployment costs.