Dark Fiber Network Operators in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Going dark: Competition from telecommunications carriers hampered growth

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.

Robust growth in online technology and capabilities has benefited dark fiber network operators, as more businesses and corporate clients continue to look for fast, efficient and available internet connections. With internet traffic volume booming and steady growth across core demand channels, operators received a consistent stream of localized and national clients looking to advance their bandwidth capacity and accelerate adoption of the latest digitization trends. But a sudden shift away from multi-user internet usage during COVID-19 severely harmed core revenue channels. Although economic conditions improved, heightened inflationary pressures continue to provide roadblocks in construction costs associated with new dark fiber networks. These trends are expected to cause revenue to tumble at a CAGR of 7.9% to an estimated $2.3 billion through the end of 2023, despite anticipated growth of 6.3% in 2023.

Dark fiber network operators primarily lease unlit (unused) direct fiber-optic networks to third-party organizations. The industry excludes companies that primarily provide lit services and proprietary and traditional cable operators.