The fiber optic market - Italy

1.1 Definition and presentation

Optical fiber is an infrastructure consisting of a cable within which there are very thin transparent glass fiber filaments, which are wrapped in a small sheath of materialinsulation.

Optical fiber constitutes a state-of-the-art technology used in the transmission of data at very high speeds, almost close to that of light. In the past, it was used to make colored lamps, but it has already been exploited by telecommunications companies for a few decades as a substitute for classic copper cables. As of today, about 80 percent of Internet information, images on television and conversations that occur by telephone travel through fiber optic infrastructure.

Currently, the global fiber optic market is worth about $4.5 billion, but it is expected to grow to reach a value of $8.6 billion by 2027, registering, thus, an annual growth rate of 9.3 percent. While this market is already abundantly developed in North America and Europe, relentless growth is expected with regard to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa due to the economic-industrial progress these territories are witnessing.

By the end of 2021, Italy is expected to take third place in the ranking of European countries in terms of widespread coverage of fiber optic infrastructure and second place in terms of percentage growth in this regard. As of today, in fact, the fiber optic network is already spread over a high share of the Italian territory, mainly thanks to relevant national programs and targets set at the European Union level for 2025.

A key role, in the relentless growth recorded in the fiber optic market, has been played by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led a large number of investors to opt for the use of this technology in order to upgrade communication lines to support the growing traffic.