Top Dark Fiber Companies

Global Dark Fiber Market size was valued at USD 7.25 Billion in 2024 poised to grow between USD 8.22 Billion in 2025 to USD 22.31 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 13.3% in the forecast period (2026–2033).

The global dark fiber market outlook is highly competitive, with key players including Zayo Group, Lumen Technologies, AT&T, Colt Technology Services, and Verizon. Zayo focuses on expanding metro networks and long-haul routes for hyperscalers. Lumen invests in AI-optimized fiber infrastructure, while Colt emphasizes pan-European dark fiber coverage. These companies adopt strategies like acquisitions, network densification, and partnerships with data center operators to meet rising demand for scalable, high-speed connectivity. 'Zayo Group (USA)', 'Lumen Technologies (USA)', 'AT&T Inc. (USA)', 'Verizon Communications Inc. (USA)', 'Crown Castle Inc. (USA)', 'Colt Technology Services (United Kingdom)', 'euNetworks (Germany)', 'BT Group plc (United Kingdom)', 'Vodafone Group plc (United Kingdom)', 'Orange S.A. (France)', 'Deutsche Telekom AG (Germany)', 'NTT Communications Corporation (Japan)', 'China Telecom Corporation Limited (China)', 'Tata Communications (India)', 'Telstra Corporation Limited (Australia)'

The global rollout of 5G networks is significantly driving the global dark fiber market growth, as telecom operators require high-capacity, low-latency infrastructure for backhaul. Dark fiber enables flexible, scalable connections between cell sites and data centers, supporting massive bandwidth demands, edge computing, and real-time applications critical to next-generation mobile and enterprise services.

Convergence of Fiber and 5G Backhaul Networks: Dark fiber is increasingly essential for 5G backhaul, connecting small cells and distributed units with low-latency, high-bandwidth links. Telecom operators are expanding metro fiber routes to support dense 5G rollouts, enabling faster data transfer and real-time connectivity, especially in urban areas with growing mobile and edge computing demands.

As per the global dark fiber market analysis, North America dominates the industry due to its advanced telecom infrastructure and strong presence of major service providers like AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen. The region benefits from high investments in 5G, hyperscale data centers, and government-backed broadband initiatives. Growing demand for low-latency connectivity, coupled with increasing enterprise and cloud traffic, continues to drive metro and long-haul dark fiber expansion across the U.S. and Canada.