U.S. Dark Fiber Market Set for Double-Digit Growth Driven by 5G and Enterprise Needs

According to the latest market research study published by P&S Intelligence, the U.S. dark fiber network market, valued at USD 1.1 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.6% from 2025 to 2032, reaching USD 2.4 billion. Recent research and development (R&D) efforts have highlighted dark fiber as a critical infrastructure solution for enterprises and telecom providers facing rising demand for high-speed, low-latency network services.

Dark fiber, the unused optical fiber infrastructure installed during the internet boom, is being increasingly leveraged by network operators to accommodate expanding data traffic, including cloud computing, AI, IoT, and 5G applications.

Key Highlights

Metric	Value / Insight
Market Size (2024)	USD 1.1 Billion
Projected Market Size (2032)	USD 2.4 Billion
CAGR (2025–2032)	10.6%
Primary Growth Drivers	5G expansion, cloud computing, AI & IoT adoption
Leading Region	Western U.S. (40% market share)
Dominant Fiber Type	Multi-mode (70% market share, CAGR 11.1%)
Dominant Material	Glass (65% market share)
Dominant Network Type	Long-Haul (70% market share, CAGR 11.5%)
Dominant Technology	Mobile Backhaul (largest share), DWDM (fastest-growing)
Largest Application Segment	IT & Telecom (35% market share)

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R&D Highlights:

• Multi-Mode Fibers: Proven cost-effective for short-to-medium distance transmission with high data rates, supporting modern enterprise and data center requirements.
• Glass Material Fibers: Superior performance in long-haul, 5G backhaul, and high-bandwidth environments.
• Network Expansion: Long-haul and DWDM technologies are essential for accommodating cloud, AI, and mobile data traffic.
• Regional Advantage: The Western U.S. benefits from existing fiber infrastructure, reducing deployment costs and accelerating adoption.

Strategic Importance of Dark Fiber for 5G and Enterprise Networks
With millions of Americans already connected to 5G networks, dark fiber provides scalable, secure, and high-capacity infrastructure essential for backhaul and fronthaul. Enterprises are increasingly leveraging R&D insights to implement private networks capable of handling exponential growth in data traffic, low-latency applications, and real-time analytics.

Leading Companies Driving Market Growth:

Company Name
AT&T Inc.
Verizon Communications, Inc.
Comcast Corporation
Lumen Technologies, Inc.
Crown Castle International Corp.
Zayo Group, LLC
Google Fiber
Fatbeam Fiber

Recent Developments:

• April 2024: Uniti Group expanded its lit and dark fiber network in Huntsville, AL, to 190 miles.
• June 2022: NEC Corporation partnered with Neutral Networks to energize the NEXT optical fiber network between the U.S. and Mexico, utilizing Infinera’s ICE6 800G coherent technology.

“With the surge in 5G, cloud adoption, and enterprise digitalization, dark fiber is no longer an idle resource—it’s a critical enabler of high-speed connectivity and network resilience,” said [Spokesperson Name], [Title] of [Company]. “Our latest R&D findings confirm that multi-mode, glass, and long-haul fiber technologies are at the forefront of this transformation.”