Fiber Optical Cable Market Report 2026

The fiber optical cable market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $84.15 billion in 2025 to $89.16 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in telecommunication infrastructure, rising demand for internet and broadband services, early adoption of fiber for long distance communication, increasing need for high bandwidth data transmission, development of multimode and single mode cable technologies.

The fiber optical cable market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $115.79 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of 5g and future network deployments, increasing demand for fiber connectivity in smart cities, growth in cloud computing and hyperscale data centers, rising adoption of fiber sensors in industrial monitoring, increasing use of fiber optic imaging in healthcare. Major trends in the forecast period include expanding deployment of fiber networks for high speed telecom services, rising adoption of fiber in medical imaging and surgical applications, increasing use of fiber in oil and gas monitoring systems, growing demand for fiber in railway signaling and control, expansion of fiber installation for cloud data center connectivity.

The growing demand for higher bandwidth and faster connections is expected to drive the expansion of the fiber optic cable market in the coming years. Higher bandwidth and faster connections enable the rapid transmission of large data volumes, improving communication, streaming, and overall network performance. This demand is rising as users increasingly seek seamless, uninterrupted online experiences for streaming, communication, and data access. Fiber optic cables support higher bandwidth and faster connections by transmitting data using light instead of electricity, allowing large volumes to be transferred over long distances with minimal loss and low latency, ensuring reliable, high-speed internet. For example, in December 2023, according to Ookla, a US-based web service that provides free analysis of Internet access performance, the median global 5G download speed increased by 20% in Q3 2023, reaching 203.04 Mbps, up from 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022. Consequently, the rising demand for faster connections and higher bandwidth is propelling the growth of the fiber optic cable market.

Leading companies in the fiber optic cable market are focusing on technological innovations, such as 1728 high fibre count intermittently bonded ribbon (IBR) optical cables, to address the growing demand for expanded fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments, 5G/6G backhaul capacity, and hyperscale data centre connectivity. Intermittently Bonded Ribbon (IBR) cables feature fibre ribbons where individual fibres are only intermittently bonded, allowing high fibre density in a compact form while providing easier access and handling during installation and maintenance compared to traditional tightly bonded ribbon or loose tube cables. For example, in October 2023, HFCL Limited, an India-based telecom infrastructure and optical cable company, launched a 1728 high fibre count IBR optical fibre cable to accelerate 5G network infrastructure deployment, expand FTTH capabilities, and meet growing data centre demand. The product offers a gel-free construction optimized for high-productivity mass-fusion splicing, a compact form factor suitable for congested ducts, and rapid restoration in case of outages.

In March 2023, Hexatronic Group AB, a Sweden-based designer and manufacturer of fiber technology and connectivity solutions, acquired Rochester Cable (U.S.) for an undisclosed sum. Through this acquisition, Hexatronic aimed to expand its product portfolio into high-performance electro-optical cables for harsh environments, including defense, oceanographic, and subsea applications, thereby strengthening its technology offerings and North American presence in the fiber optic cable market. Rochester Cable is a US-based provider specializing in the design and manufacture of armored electro-optical cables.

Major companies operating in the fiber optical cable market are Corning Incorporated, Prysmian Group, Fujikura Ltd., Sterlite Technologies Limited, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., LS Cable & System Ltd., Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC), Nexans S.A., CommScope Inc., Hengtong Group Co., Ltd., ZTT International Limited, Belden Inc., FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co., Ltd., Finolex Cables Ltd., OFS Fitel, LLC, Draka Communications S.A.S., Optical Cable Corporation, AFL Global, Leoni AG, Amphenol Corporation, HUBER+SUHNER AG, Hitachi Cable America Inc., TE Connectivity, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corp., R&M (Reichle & De-Massari), Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Molex LLC.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs are influencing the fiber optic cables market by raising the cost of imported glass preforms, specialty coatings, cable jackets and manufacturing equipment which increases production expenses and slows deployment schedules. Telecom, oil and gas and data center segments are most affected in regions that depend heavily on imported fiber components including North America, Europe and parts of Asia. These tariffs disrupt supply chains, elevate project installation costs and delay large scale network rollouts. On the positive side, tariffs encourage domestic fiber production, promote regional supply chain development and accelerate innovation in low cost optical materials.

The fiber optic cable market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides fiber optic cable market statistics, including fiber optic cable industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a fiber optic cable market share, detailed fiber optic cable market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the fiber optic cable industry. This fiber optic cable market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

Fiber optic cables consist of insulated glass fiber strands and serve primarily as a telecommunications and computer networking medium. Additionally, they function as light guides, imaging tools, and lasers in medical surgeries, as well as wiring in aircraft, submarines, and various vehicles.

The main types of fiber optic cables are glass optical fiber and plastic optical fiber. Glass optical fibers typically comprise a pure glass core (SiO2) surrounded by cladding made of less pure glass or plastic. Primarily used in communication, sensors, and measurement systems, glass fibers excel in long-distance, high-speed communication due to their high transmissivity and low loss factor. They are also well-suited for corrosive environments or high-temperature settings. These cables include single-mode and multi-mode variations used across multiple sectors such as telecom, oil and gas, military and aerospace, BFSI, medical, imaging, railway, and other applications.Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the fiber optic cable market in 2025. North America was the second-largest region in the global fiber optical cable market analysis. The regions covered in the fiber optical cable market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the fiber optical cable market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The fiber optic cable market consists of sales of quartz optical fiber cables, multi-component glass fiber cables, plastic optical fiber cables, step-index multimode fiber, graded index multimode fiber, and other fiber optic cables. Values in this market are factory gate values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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