Ahead of 5G rollout, key fibre players invest big to expand capacity

Apart from China, the largest consumer of fibre, demand across the world is expected to rise as more countries move to 5G

Although they are tough competitors in the optic fibre cable (OFC) sweepstakes, the fact that the 5G rollout will generate huge demand for fibre has meant that Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) and Sterlite Technologies are together investing over Rs 1,800 crore on backward integration and expanding their capacity. They are also building volumes so they can tap the global demand for fibre too given that 5G is being rolled out more aggressively in the coming months. 

It’s not only OFC manufacturers who see new business potential from fibre. The big boys of telecom — Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Idea-Vodafone —