The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and data centre infrastructure is reshaping global demand for optical fibre, creating new requirements for bandwidth, latency, signal integrity and network capacity.
To explore these developments, Fibre Council Europe has commissioned a new report by CRU Group, “Next Generation of Fibre: Hollow-Core and Multicore Fibre Market Outlook”, examining the market potential, emerging applications and adoption challenges of two next-generation optical fibre technologies: hollow-core fibre (HCF) and multicore fibre (MCF).
The report highlights how these technologies could help address specific limitations of conventional fibre networks as AI-driven workloads and increasingly interconnected data centres place greater demands on optical infrastructure.
While hollow-core fibre offers potential advantages in reducing latency and improving signal integrity, particularly for data centre interconnects and other performance-sensitive applications, multicore fibre aims to increase transmission capacity within a single fibre, helping address space and cabling constraints in high-density environments.
Drawing on CRU's market intelligence and forecasts, the report examines evolving demand patterns, supply chain developments, manufacturing challenges and the outlook for adoption through 2030.
It also highlights the role of data centres as a key driver of next-generation fibre demand, while recognising that deployment will remain selective and dependent on technological maturity, cost competitiveness and ecosystem development.
Download the full report to explore the market outlook for hollow-core and multicore fibre and their potential role in supporting the next generation of digital infrastructure.
Watch the recording of the webinar here.