Methodology

What is observed

Each edition collects publicly listed surplus fiber cable offerings from surplus-market storefronts. For every listing we record fiber count, manufacturer and series where stated, reel footage, construction flags (armored, micro), and the asking price. Price per foot is the listed price divided by the listed footage.

For each fiber count we publish the observation count, the low and high asks, and the median ask. Median rather than mean, because a handful of specialty reels — premium series, unusual constructions — price several times a commodity reel of the same count and would drag an average off the market.

What the index does not report

The index does not report what FutureNet offers for a reel. Every reel is priced individually from its tag, footage and condition, and the seller gets one firm offer in writing within 24 hours.

That offer turns on footage per reel, series, condition, tag legibility, date code and pickup location. The factors are listed on the sell page.

What is excluded

• Counts with fewer than 5 observations in an edition. Each edition names the counts it dropped and their observation counts.
• Listings without a stated footage, since price per foot cannot be derived from them.
• Patch cords, pigtails and indoor assemblies. The index covers outside-plant distribution cable.
• Our own listings and our own transactions. The index observes the outside market.

Known limitations

Stated plainly, because they are material to how much weight the numbers deserve:

• These are asking prices, not transaction prices. Realized prices run below asks. Storefronts hold inventory, split lots, and wait. Read the index as a ceiling on the open market, not as clearing prices.
• The panel is narrow. The September 2026 edition draws on a single national surplus storefront. Widening the panel is the first priority for subsequent editions, and each edition states its source count.
• Brand concentration. One manufacturer accounts for roughly 81% of priced observations in the first edition. Counts where that manufacturer dominates carry its pricing more than the category’s.
• Uneven depth by count. Common distribution counts carry dozens of observations; large and unusual counts carry few, and the median is correspondingly noisier. The observation count is published per row so you can weigh it yourself.
• No seasonality baseline yet. With one edition published there is no month-over-month series. Change commentary begins with the second edition.

Where this is going

Two improvements, in order. First, widen the panel across additional surplus storefronts and marketplace listings, which reduces both the single-source and the brand concentration problems. Second, as our own transaction volume accumulates, publish a transaction-based series alongside the observed-ask series — reported in aggregate, never at the level of an individual counterparty.

Until that second series exists, this is an asking-price index and is labeled as one everywhere it appears.

Cadence and corrections

Published monthly. Each edition keeps a permanent URL and is not edited after publication; corrections appear as a dated note on the affected edition rather than a silent change.

License and citation

The index is free to cite, quote and republish with attribution to FutureNet Telecom USA. Each edition publishes a CSV of the underlying figures. Suggested citation:

FutureNet Fiber Surplus Index, September 2026. FutureNet Telecom USA. futurenettelecom.com/fiber-surplus-index/

Questions about the method, or want the underlying observations for a specific count? Email us or call (786) 478-7874. Journalists and analysts: we will answer methodology questions directly, including the ones that make the index look weaker.