This week, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced a collaboration with the Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) program from the AARP, which is intended to expand high-speed connectivity and digital skills training for seniors.
The announcement was made at the FBA’s Fiber Connect 2026 conference in Orlando, Florida. The organization also updated its OpTIC Path program and released a white paper aimed at helping cable operators migrate to fiber architectures.
GFiber’s Chandler, Arizona system is hosting the FBA/AARP program’s first community development site. The focus is on both access and adoption, which FBA says are two critical points in digital equity.
The program uses a tiered participation model, which enables sponsors to gauge participation according to community size and community footprint. One or more locations can be supported with the programming, which includes digital literacy training, education about telehealth access, online safety resources, and social connection opportunities.
“Our work with FBA is about more than connectivity; it’s about opportunity, independence, and dignity for older adults,” Alex Glazebrook, the Vice President of Business Operations at OATS said in a press release. “By working with FBA’s network of providers, we can reach more communities nationwide and ensure older Americans have both the access and skills needed to thrive in today’s digital society.”
Changes to the Digital Equity Act and the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) created burdens for needy families, according to an OATS/AARP report published in late February.
FBA announcements about workforce training and cable-to-fiber transitions
The FBA also gave an update on the OpTIC Path fiber optic technician training program. The organization is helping fill the need for fiber techs — about 180,000 more are needed — with a scalable 144-hour apprenticeship-based training regimen.
OpTIC Path is active in more than 20 states, with eight waiting in the wings. It has about 38 training partners and has graduated more than 1,550 students.
The third announcement by the FBA is the publishing of a technical paper entitled “Upgrading MSO Networks to Fiber to the Home (FTTH): A Technical Perspective.”
The paper outlines strategies for cable operators to transition from legacy hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) to fiber. The paper, which was written by the FBA’s Technology Committee, examines models, technology options and operational considerations for MSO considering the transition.
