Researchers have set a new data transmission record of 402 terabits per second (Tbps) using standard optical fiber. These fibers are indispensable to modern communication infrastructure, and are criticial in addressing the capacity demand needed to support networks in the 5G-Advanced and 6G eras.
Due to their capability to transmit light signals over long distances with higher bandwidth, optical fibers are becoming increasingly valuable. Notably, the market was valued at around USD 7.4 billion in 2023.
The demand for high-speed internet and continuous advancements in telecom infrastructure are major factors driving this market's growth. In addition, the increasing 5G and cloud adoption highlights the essential role of optical fibers, apart from its application in fields such as medical imaging, automotive systems, and various industrial use cases.
The Optical Communication Infrastructure
Optical communications act as the basis for transformative information exchange. The transmission capacity per optical fiber can generally be increased by using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), in which the wavelength of light is slightly changed for multiplexed transmission.
With this in mind, research and development (R&D) efforts worldwide are enhancing cable capacity with technologies like multi-core fibers, hollow-core fibers, and space-division multiplexing. As a result, the boundaries of data transmission capabilities are tested and extended, and more cost-effective and easier-to-install fiber-optic cables are emerging due to material and manufacturing enhancements.
In optical communications, spectrum refers to the operating range of an optical fiber. Multiple bands such as O, E, S, C, L and U are utilized to achieve varied ranges. Each wavelength within this range carries a distinct data stream, capable of traveling over long distances.
Similar to lanes on a highway, an expanded spectrum allows multiple wavelengths to transmit data simultaneously, increasing the number of data channels that can operate in parallel. Moreover, optical technology lacks an electromagnetic field, ensuring data remains secure from interception, signal degradation, or interference with other signals.
Huawei suggests that carriers must replace copper lines with optical fibers and implement fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) solutions to achieve all-optical coverage and provide 100 Mbps of home bandwidth. Additionally, carriers should gradually upgrade to 10G PON, extend optical transport networks (OTN) down to metro networks, and develop 3D-mesh backbone networks that are ready for 400G capacity.
Optical Fiber Deployment
Optical fiber networks have advanced to support modern technology needs, leading to a rise in FTTH connections in fixed broadband. As explained by Nokia, initially, C+L band networks were used by operators with high traffic and limited long-haul fiber capacity, similar to hyperscalers that built "super-highways" across continents.
Others, such as operators in Japan and Italy, used L-band solutions to enhance WDM capacity over Dispersion Shifted Fiber (DSF) networks. Consequently, those operators struggled to scale in the C-band due to four-wave mixing.
Currently, C+L band solutions are being widely deployed in metro and long-haul networks by various operators, including CSPs, cable operators, and enterprises to effectively double network capacity and prevent fiber capacity exhaustion.
Ultimately, by expanding available spectrum from the C-band to include the L-band and S-band, operators can access up to 60nm of usable spectrum, further boosting fiber capacity.
Momentum in the Middle East and Globally
The UAE has emerged as a global leader in FTTH connectivity, alongside Singapore, Hong Kong, China and South Korea. In line with this, several Middle-Eastern operators in countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE, are increasingly deploying gigabit packages, which has significantly boosted their speed rankings, according to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index.
In Q1 2024, the UAE ranked first in the Middle East for fixed broadband performance, with a median download speed of 270.91 Mbps and an upload speed of 124.37 Mbps. Bahrain and Qatar also showed notable gains in both download and upload speeds, while Jordan's median download speed quickly increased from a low base, overtaking Saudi Arabia.
In 2022, Nokia, in collaboration with e& UAE, demonstrated the first 100 Gbps fiber broadband speed—the fastest PON speed in the MEA region at that time.
Due to this relentless demand, ISPs are addressing indoor performance bottlenecks with modernized consumer premises equipment. In addition, ISPs have started deploying fiber-to-the-room (FTTR) for ubiquitous gigabit wireless access indoors, with Omantel being the first ISP in the Sultanate to offer this technology. This solution guaranteed enhanced customer experience in every room.
At the Telecom Review Global Excellence Awards 2023, Bahrain Network (BNET) won the “Best Fiber Infrastructure Deployment – Global” award. Its national broadband all-optical network provides diversified telecom services and covers 95.4% of households.
In Asia, KDDI, Sumitomo Electric, Furukawa Electric, and OFS recently achieved a high-capacity transmission of 115.2 THz using a high-density 12-core optical fiber and O-band coherent DWDM technology, which reduces inter-core crosstalk.
Meanwhile, researchers from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), along with Nokia Bell Labs, Aston University, and Amonics PLC, set a record data rate of 301 terabits per second in standard optical fiber. To put this into perspective, this speed is over 100 million times faster than Netflix's recommended 3 Mbit/s for HD streaming.
Nokia has also set two world records in submarine optical transmission, highlighting the potential of future optical networking equipment. In March 2024, NEC and NTT completed the world's first transoceanic transmission over 7,280 km using a 12-core multicore fiber, which could be key to future high-capacity optical networks via submarine cables.
A Positive Outlook
Beyond the Middle East, various other regions are supporting the unfaltering pursuit for next-gen optical network expansion with contributory initiatives. The EU has implemented several R&D initiatives focusing on next-gen optical networks. Projects like PASSION aim to develop ultra-high-capacity optical networks using photonic technologies. PASSION's research focuses on utilizing novel wavelength-division multiplexing techniques to scale bandwidth while ensuring energy efficiency, supporting the rise of 5G and IoT.
In Asia, The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan is conducting pioneering research on beyond-5G optical networks. Their focus includes space-division multiplexing (SDM), and their experiments have demonstrated the potential for petabit-per-second data transfers, which are essential for data-heavy applications like AI and cloud computing.
In North America, The COSMOS project, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is focusing on developing next-gen optical networks capable of supporting smart city applications.
As research in the optical fiber communication field continues to advance, we are paving the way for future improvements in global internet infrastructure, potentially leading to faster and more efficient data transmission capabilities in the coming decades.
Continue Reading:
Connectivity Outlook in 2024: Soaring Bandwidth Consumption Expected in the Middle East
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