Fiber-optic council targets home customers

Alcatel, Corning and Optical Solutions jointly created the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council on Monday in an effort to spark the installation of high-speed fiber-optic connections directly to consumers' homes. The FTTH Council comprises communications carriers, computer and networking companies, content providers, and system integrators.

The group hopes to accelerate the introduction of fiber-to-the-home connections, which offer the kind of fast connections typically reserved for businesses. Many carriers, including SBC Communications, have begun testing fiber-to-the-home technology.