Subsea Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) Market Report 2026

The subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (roadm) market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.46 billion in 2025 to $1.66 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of global undersea fiber networks, deployment of fixed OADMs, increasing bandwidth requirements for transcontinental data, growth of telecommunication infrastructure in coastal regions, early adoption of MEMS and LCoS based WSS.

The subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (roadm) market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.69 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for high-capacity subsea communication, advancements in ROADM and CDC technologies, expansion of cloud and data center interconnectivity, increasing oil & gas and defense subsea network projects, adoption of intelligent network management and SDN platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include adoption of flexible and colorless, directionless, contentionless (CDC) ROADMs, integration of software-defined networking (SDN) for remote configuration, deployment in deepwater subsea networks for high-capacity links, use of advanced optical amplifiers to enhance signal reach and quality, increasing demand from data centers and telecommunication operators.

The surging global data traffic is expected to propel the growth of the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market going forward. Data traffic refers to the total volume of digital information transmitted across networks worldwide, including mobile and fixed-broadband connections. The surge in global data traffic is driven by bandwidth-intensive applications such as video streaming, cloud computing, and real-time communications powered by expanding 5G networks, collectively causing exponential growth in data transmission worldwide. Rising data volumes across undersea cables require flexible systems that can dynamically add, drop, or reroute optical wavelengths to efficiently manage increasing network capacity. For instance, in June 2024, according to Ericsson, a Sweden-based telecommunications company, from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, mobile network data traffic experienced a quarter-on-quarter growth of approximately 6%. Therefore, surging global data traffic is driving the growth of the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market.

The rising adoption of cloud services is expected to propel the growth of the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market going forward. Cloud services are computing resources and applications delivered over the internet, enabling users to access software, storage, and processing power on demand without maintaining physical infrastructure. The growing adoption of cloud services is primarily driven by digital transformation initiatives, as organizations across industries are migrating operations to cloud-based platforms to achieve greater scalability, flexibility, and operational efficiency in an increasingly connected global economy. Expansion of cloud services requires robust intercontinental data transmission capabilities, as data must travel seamlessly across oceans through subsea fiber optic networks that depend on advanced optical switching and routing technologies to manage rising bandwidth demands. For instance, in March 2024, according to Flexera, a US-based computer software company, multi-cloud usage increased from 87% in 2023 to 89% in 2024. Therefore, rising adoption of cloud services is driving the growth of the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market.

In February 2025, Nokia, a Finland-based telecommunications and optical networking company, acquired Infinera Corporation for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition aims to strengthen its leadership in the optical networks sector by accelerating its product roadmap, enhancing high-capacity optical networking capabilities, and meeting rising AI and data center demands. Infinera Corporation is a US-based telecommunications equipment company that provides subsea-capable transport systems and ROADM functionality.

Major companies operating in the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (roadm) market are Fujitsu Limited, Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Nokia Corporation, NEC Corporation, Prysmian S.p.A., LS Cable & System Ltd., FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co., Ltd., Ciena Corporation, Lumentum Operations LLC, Alcatel Submarine Networks SAS, Anritsu Corporation, SubCom, LLC, Nexans S.A., Xtera Communications Inc., HMN Technologies Co., Ltd., AC Photonics, Inc., IT International Telecom Inc., PT Communication Cable Systems Indonesia Tbk, Orange Marine SAS, Padtec S.A.

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 have affected the subsea ROADM market by increasing costs of imported optical components, amplifiers, and high-precision control software, particularly impacting equipment sourced from Asia-Pacific countries. Deepwater deployments and telecommunication operators are most affected due to the reliance on advanced, imported subsystems. However, tariffs have encouraged local manufacturing and assembly, prompting innovation in cost-efficient ROADM solutions and software-defined network integration.

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Subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) refers to a network device designed to enable dynamic routing of optical signals across undersea communication networks. It efficiently adds, drops, or redirects data channels without manual intervention, ensuring optimal bandwidth utilization. The subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) enhances network flexibility and scalability, allowing operators to optimize data flow in real time and maintain high-performance connectivity across global submarine communication links.

The key components of a subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) include wavelength-selective switches (WSS), optical amplifiers, optical add-drop multiplexers, control software, and others. Wavelength-selective switches (WSS) in subsea ROADM systems are optical devices that dynamically route specific wavelengths across fiber pairs, providing flexible wavelength management and traffic reconfiguration in underwater networks. The fiber types include single-mode fiber and multi-mode fiber, available in various technologies such as fixed, flexible, colorless, directionless, or contentionless. The deployments are classified into shallow water and deep water and are applied across several sectors, including telecommunication, data centers, oil and gas, defense and security, and others.North America was the largest region in the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (roadm) market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (roadm) market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as network design and configuration, system installation and integration, remote monitoring and maintenance, data traffic management, and upgrade or expansion support. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The subsea reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) market also includes sales of optical transceivers, optical filters, optical power monitors, wavelength blockers, optical switches, and network management units. 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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