Research firm TrendForce says demand from AI data centers, cross‑data‑center
interconnects and high‑capacity backbone builds will widen the global
optical‑fiber supply gap to about 180 mln core‑km by 2026. The report warns
supply tightness could push finished optical‑fiber spot prices up 2.8–5x or more
YoY, and notes telecom vendors are shifting procurement from short‑term
purchases to longer‑term contracts to lock in supply.
