A shortage of fiber-optic cable equipment is blamed on AI data center demands as well as US protectionism. Warnings about a US fiber crunch that could slow down broadband deployment have intensified since the summer. From a splicer's standpoint, ribbon cable is “much more user friendly and much more organized” because multiple fibers are bonded together. In August, Incab America, a Texan maker of fiber-optic cable, notified customers. According to research released last year at CES, homes are filled with devices—computers, phones, smartwatches, televisions, and tablets—that are constantly connected and each demanding bandwidth. While these cables are engineered for durability (with some rated to last 25+ years), they are not invulnerable.