U.S. Fiber-to-the-Home Market Nears 100 Million Passings Following Record 2025 Growth – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-12-28 00:00
The U.S. Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) market reached a record 11.8 million new homes passed in 2025. Fiber now reaches over 60 percent of U.S. Households and is on a trajectory to surpass cable as the dominant broadband delivery platform by 2028. Government initiatives, including the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), continue to serve as primary drivers for construction.
Missile Defense Agency Framework Signals Shift Toward Multi-Vendor IDIQ Framework – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-12-28 00:00
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) advanced a structural transition in Pentagon procurement with the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) contract. This $151 billion Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) framework establishes a decentralized “hunting license” for more than 2,100 vendors.
SpaceRISE Consortium Initiates Procurement for IRIS² Satellite and Launch Services – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-12-28 00:00
The IRIS² program serves as the European Union’s flagship initiative to establish a secure, multi-layered communications backbone. The IRIS² program aims to provide resilient governmental communications and bridge the digital divide for EU member states. The planned constellation will utilize a multi-orbit architecture to ensure continuous coverage and high-performance throughput.
FCC Modernizes Space Policy with Higher Power Limits for Direct-to-Cell Services – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-12-28 00:00
FCC confirms adoption of new regulatory frameworks allowing satellite operators to use higher power levels for direct-to-cell (D2C) services. The policy adjustment is designed to enhance the robustness of satellite-to-smartphone connectivity by addressing technical link budget constraints. Announcement included in broader summary of the agency’s 2025 “Space Month” initiatives.