Mao Qian Releases Global Optical Fiber and Cable Industry Development Report
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On October 19, 2026, C114 reported on Mao Qian's analysis of the optical fiber and cable industry. Mao Qian said that decision-making power over optical fiber demand has shifted from telecom operators to cloud providers, and that the expansion cycle for optical fiber preforms makes the supply-demand gap difficult to ease quickly through pricing. His report estimates global optical fiber and cable demand at about 630 million fiber-km in 2026, against effective supply of only 480 million to 520 million fiber-km, leaving a gap of about 110 million to 150 million fiber-km. Preform plants take 18 to 24 months to build, and product mix shifts combined with supply constraints are pushing the industry from price competition toward value competition.
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- C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsPicksMao Qian on Fiber Demand Shifting to Cloud Providers and Physical Supply Constraints
Mao Qian noted that control over fiber demand has shifted from carriers to cloud providers, and preform expansion cycles make supply-demand gaps difficult to ease quickly through pricing. A report he released estimates that global optical fiber and cable demand will reach about 630 million fiber-km in 2026, while effective supply will be only 480 million to 520 million fiber-km, leaving a gap of about 110 million to 150 million fiber-km. Preform plant construction takes 18 to 24 months, and product mix shifts combined with supply constraints are pushing the industry from price competition toward value competition.
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