Dell’Oro Group’s Optical Transport reports track the global market for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems and optical networking infrastructure across long-haul, metro, and data center interconnect (DCI) applications. The reports provide detailed analysis of manufacturer revenue, port and wavelength shipments, average selling prices, and vendor market share, with segmentation by technology, application, customer type, and region.
The research examines how Optical transport is evolving alongside shifts in cloud and AI infrastructure. While telecom networks continue to require steady capacity upgrades, the center of gravity has moved toward data center interconnect (DCI), where hyperscalers and neoclouds are driving demand for higher-capacity, more efficient optical solutions.
Key areas of focuses on how the market is transitioning to higher-speed coherent optics (400 Gbps, 800 Gbps, 1.2 Tbps, and beyond), and how architectures such as IPoDWDM with ZR/ZR+ pluggables are changing deployment models. It also examines the growing role of disaggregated optical systems, where transponders, line systems, and pluggables are increasingly deployed independently, particularly in cloud-driven environments.
Optical transport is increasingly tied to cloud and AI infrastructure, with hyperscaler-driven DCI demand reshaping the market. Growth is being fueled by coherent optics and pluggable solutions such as ZR/ZR+, enabling IPoDWDM architectures and reducing reliance on traditional transponders. At the same time, migration to 800 Gbps, 1.2 Tbps, and higher-capacity wavelengths is accelerating to improve fiber efficiency. As disaggregated deployments expand, vendor dynamics are shifting, positioning optical transport growth more closely to data center investment cycles.
To take advantage of the opportunities in this market, component manufacturers, equipment vendors, service providers, and financial institutions need to answer critical business questions, including:
Metrics
Technology Coverage
Segmentation
Dell’Oro Group publishes Optical Transport 5-year forecasts offering a complete overview of the market with historical data from 1998 to the present. The forecasts provide a comprehensive overview of market trends and include tables covering revenue, unit/port/wavelength shipment, average selling price, and regional forecasts for various technologies:
