DARK FIBER MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2024-2031)

Dark Fiber Market Size and Trends

The Dark Fiber Market is estimated to be valued at USD 7.17 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 16.06 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2% from 2024 to 2031.

The market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. The rising demand for internet connectivity and data transfer across various industries due to digital transformation initiatives is driving the demand for dark fiber networks. Additionally, the growing demand for carrier-neutral interconnection and bandwidth services among businesses is propelling the market growth.

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Various technological advancements in the telecommunication industry, such as the adoption of 5G networks and increasing investments by telecom providers as well as IT & consulting companies in developing advanced fiber infrastructure are expected to present lucrative opportunities for the key players in the market during the forecast period.

Increasing Demand for High Bandwidth Connectivity

With increasing smartphone and internet usage, bandwidth demand has been growing exponentially in recent years. People no longer just access basic internet on their phones and computers - they now stream high-definition videos, make video calls, engage in online gaming, and more. This boom in bandwidth-hungry applications has drawn attention to technologies that can help expand network capacity to meet future needs. As a result, many enterprises and data center owners are considering the installation of dark fiber networks within and between their facilities to ensure high-speed connectivity now and in the future. Dark fiber offers literally unlimited bandwidth potential since fiber cables are not put to active use until laser transmitters and receivers are installed on either side. The upfront cost of laying dark fiber is also offset by its future-proofing ability and long lifespan of over 25 years.

For instance, Colt Technology Services, a telecommunications company, offers a dark fiber network to around 1,000 data centers in Europe and Asia. The company’s dark fiber provides businesses with maximum levels of flexibility and control to support virtually unlimited bandwidth.

Deployment of 5G Networks and Edge Computing

The rollout of 5G networks and edge computing architectures are serving as key growth drivers for the dark fiber market. 5G promises ultra-low latency communications which will enable innovative applications like augmented/virtual reality and self-driving vehicles. However, to achieve the latency targets, data networks need to be brought closer to the edge to reduce round trip times for data. This is driving more deployment of edge data centers within cities. Since 5G small cells and edge data centers will be located much closer to the end users, high fiber counts will be necessary to backhaul all the data to the core networks. Laying new fiber trunk routes to support these distributed edge infrastructures makes economic sense compared to relying on existing fiber networks. Also, 5G speeds of over 1Gbps will test the bandwidth limits of existing networks. Thus, operators are considering installation of dark fiber to prepare for 5G and edge computing driven bandwidth growth. This ensures service providers as well as enterprise customers have the fiber capacity they need for smooth migration to 5G technologies. For instance, according to Coherent Market Insights’ analysis, 5G will account for as many as 1.5 billion connections by 2025.