Dark Fiber Networks Market Size & Share, by Network Type (Metro/Access Dark Fiber, Long-Haul Dark Fiber); Application; End user; Fiber Type; Installation; Material - Global Supply & Demand Analysis, Growth Forecasts, Statistics Report 2026-2035

Dark Fiber Networks Market - Regional Analysis

APAC Market Insights

Asia Pacific is expected to hold a commanding share of 38.8% in the dark fiber networks market over the forecasted years. The region’s upliftment in this field is effectively attributable to digitalization, the rising middle class, technological leadership, and massive infrastructure investments. In December 2022, BB Backbone and JR WEST Optical Network announced that they had launched the Osaka NANIWA ring, which is a redundant fiber-optic ring connecting major data centers in Osaka City, including Osaka Business Park, Dojima, and Sonezaki. It also stated that by utilizing JRWON’s railroad fiber routes and BB Backbone’s expertise, the ring supports 100GBASE-LR4 standard connections, enabling stable, fault-tolerant, and cost-efficient data center connectivity. Furthermore, the network can also link to existing fiber infrastructures across Osaka, Kansai, Chugoku, and Kyushu regions, reducing reliance on relay stations, hence enhancing the market by expanding high-capacity, redundant fiber infrastructure for data centers.

China is growing exponentially in the regional market with the presence of government-supported national backbone networks and cross-provincial initiatives to strengthen intercity connectivity. The country’s growth in this field is also driven by large cloud service operators who are deploying private fiber for AI research clusters and industrial IoT applications. In July 2024, ZTE announced that, in collaboration with China Telecom and YOFC, it had launched the world’s first-ever live hollow-core fiber transmission system, achieving a single-wavelength speed of 1.2 Tbit/s and unidirectional capacity exceeding 100 Tbit/s over 20 km. Besides, the deployment between China Telecom’s Hangzhou Intelligent Computing Center and Yiqiao IDC supports high bandwidth for distributed computing and intelligent computing scenarios. Hence, this deployment strengthens the market by increasing demand for high-capacity, low-latency fiber infrastructure.

India is extensively growing in the regional dark fiber networks market on account of the national broadband programs and digital infrastructure projects, which are connecting rural and urban centers. Simultaneously, the service providers and large enterprises in the country are opting for dark fiber to ensure high-capacity links for fintech, e-commerce, and cloud computing applications. In February 2025, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced that it had partnered with Beckhaul Digital to deploy a 700 km high-speed optical fiber network across all metro corridors, which is starting with the Pink and Magenta Lines.  It also highlighted that the network will serve as a backbone for ISPs, telecom providers, data centers, and smart city initiatives, thereby supporting the growth of 5G services in Delhi-NCR. Furthermore, this project enhances digital connectivity, optimizes existing metro infrastructure in the country.

North America Market Insights

North America is continuously growing in the dark fiber networks market, efficiently propelled by the growing adoption of edge computing and private enterprise networks. Large-scale fiber expansions in urban and suburban areas of this region are being fueled by partnerships between carriers, data center operators, and municipal governments to enhance network resiliency. In June 2025, Lumen Technologies announced that it is deploying its dark fiber network to provide terrestrial backhaul for the JUNO Trans-Pacific Cable by connecting its U.S. landing in Grover Beach to PoPs in San Jose and Los Angeles. It also stated that this infrastructure ensures high-capacity and low-latency data transport between Asia and the U.S. Furthermore, by linking into cloud hubs, edge computing sites, and data centers, this supports AI applications and enterprise operations, hence making it suitable for the overall market growth.

The telecom operators and cloud service providers are leveraging dark fiber to interconnect hyperscale data centers, driving strong business in the U.S. dark fiber networks market. In addition, the municipal broadband projects and fiber consortia are expanding middle-mile infrastructure to bridge gaps in underserved urban and rural areas, providing encouraging opportunities for long-term leases. In January 2023, Summit Infrastructure Group announced that it had launched a new, purpose-built underground dark fiber network in Greater Columbus, Ohio, which is aimed at supporting the region’s growing data center and hyperscale cloud sectors. Besides, the initial buildout will cover over 200 miles, offering unique and diverse routes distinct from existing legacy networks. Furthermore, Columbus’s role as a data center hub, driven by land availability, power supply, and state incentives, makes this expansion highly critical for high-performance connectivity.

Canada has gained momentum in the regional dark fiber networks market, effectively fueled by the need to connect resource-heavy industries such as oil, mining, and financial services across the country’s vast geographic areas. Fiber providers in the country are focused on building redundant ring networks in metropolitan hubs and linking them to remote industrial zones by ensuring high-capacity private networks for mission-critical operations. In addition, the adoption is also accelerated by the expansion of hyperscale cloud data centers and edge computing facilities, which demand ultra-low latency and scalable bandwidth. Telecom operators and enterprise providers in Canada are making investments in purpose-built underground fiber routes to enhance network resilience and service reliability. Furthermore, government initiatives to improve digital infrastructure in remote and rural regions are creating new opportunities for dark fiber deployment across the country.

Europe Market Insights

Europe is expected to acquire a significant stake in the global market owing to the regulatory support for open-access networks, which is accelerating adoption, particularly for metropolitan campuses. The region also benefits from the presence of operators who are focusing on deploying flexible, multi-terabit networks to accommodate increasing demand for cloud services. In April 2023 announced that it acquired a Belgian utility company’s dark fiber business, thereby adding 1,660 km of duct-based fiber across Brussels and long-haul routes in Belgium. This integration enhances network reach, unique routing, and connectivity to hyperscale data centers, thereby supporting high-bandwidth demands in Europe. Furthermore, this expansion strengthens euNetworks’ presence in Europe and provides customers with end-to-end fiber solutions.

Germany is maintaining its dominance in the regional market owing to industrial digitization and the need for high-capacity private networks in manufacturing hubs. Simultaneously, the domestic fiber consortia and telecom providers are expanding metro and regional networks to facilitate Industry 4.0 applications and secure data exchanges. In September 2024, the European Investment Bank reported that it provided a €350 million (≈ USD 384 million) InvestEU-backed loan to Deutsche Glasfaser to expand high-speed fiber broadband to 460,000 rural households in the country. Besides, the bank also noted that this project aims to bridge the digital divide by delivering gigabit-capable connections, which support cloud services, IoT, and emerging technologies. Hence, this initiative efficiently strengthens Germany’s digital infrastructure, prompting economic growth and future-proofing rural regions for high-capacity network demands over the forecasted years.

In the U.K. dark fiber networks market is highly influenced by the advent of full-fiber broadband initiatives and enterprise-grade interconnections. Providers in the country are focused on redundant metro and regional rings, thereby linking business parks, universities, and financial districts to enhance connectivity. NTT DATA and NTT Corporation in  April 2024, have reported that they showcased their ultra-low-latency connections between data centers in the U.K., which efficiently achieved round-trip delays of just 0.9 milliseconds and jitter lower than 0.1 microseconds. The report also highlighted that this APN deployment enables geographically distributed data centers in the country to operate as one facility, which also supports real-time AI, financial services. Hence, it demonstrates how dark fiber can be used for scalable, mission-critical network applications without the need for new fiber installation.