Cable companies feel the need for speed

As the demand for fibre-optic cables takes off, a handful of Indian manufacturers are stepping on the gas to keep pace

As the country marches along the information highway, the demand for one particular item is running high.

The past year has seen a massive jump in the use of fibre-optic cable, or bundled strands of cable made of ultrapure glass that can carry vast amounts of data quickly via light.

At present, telcos, internet service providers (ISPs), cable operators and the government consume over 20 million fibre kilometers annually. But over the next few years this demand is expected to more than double, and behind it is going to be the move to 5G in 2020. 

This could prove to