China Mobile recently released a notice on soliciting opinions on the procurement technical specifications and other documents for G.654. E fiber optic cable products, and attached the technical specifications and testing standards for China Mobile’s centralized procurement project of G.654. E fiber optic cable products from 2025 to 2027.
According to the attachment, China Mobile is expected to launch a 2-year centralized procurement of G.654. E fiber optic cable products in March 2025. According to the technical specifications document in the attachment, the production capacity and fiber drawing capacity of G.654. E optical rods will be included in the evaluation rules for this centralized procurement, but companies that do not have these capabilities will not be strictly restricted from participating. The specific situation urgently needs to be understood after the formal centralized procurement document is issued. However, it is clear that companies that can independently produce rods and draw fibers will receive higher scores. (Whether the bidding party has takeaway orders will also be included in this evaluation) In addition, it is the specific requirements for product performance. For details, please visit China Mobile Procurement and Tendering website.
In September 2023, China Mobile launched a centralized procurement of G.654. E fiber optic cable products from 2023 to 2024, with a procurement scale of 1.2279 million core kilometers. This procurement is for a 2-year period, and it is expected that the procurement scale will further expand. Up to now, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Telecom have launched several large-scale centralized procurement of G.654. E fiber optic cable products: In 2019, China Unicom launched 2971 picometers of G.654. E fiber optic cable and hybrid cable centralized procurement; In the same year, China Telecom launched a centralized procurement of 293000 core kilometers; China Mobile also launched a centralized procurement of 332400 core kilometers in 2022; In 2024, China Unicom will conduct centralized procurement of optical cables, with the majority of trunk cables using G.654. E optical fibers, totaling 4.365 million core kilometers. From the perspective of centralized procurement volume, the demand for G.654. E from operators is gradually increasing. In addition to centralized procurement by the group headquarters, local companies of several major operators have also initiated multiple procurement processes; China Railway Group Co., Ltd. also initiated a procurement of G.654. E products in 2024.
G. 654. E fiber, as a mature product with relatively fast technological development and multiple on-site network tests, has become an ideal choice for ultra high speed and long-distance transmission due to its ultra-low attenuation, large effective area, strong bending resistance, and compatibility with existing systems. It is particularly suitable for the future evolution of networks towards Tbit level, and is a key infrastructure for 5G, cloud computing, and global interconnection. Especially with the development of AI big models and application fields, the increasing demand for computing power has put forward higher requirements for the capacity, transmission rate, and other aspects of fiber optic cable products, which have begun to move towards large-scale commercial use. The scale of G.654. E in China Unicom’s fiber optic cable procurement has confirmed this judgment. As an industry benchmark, China Mobile’s upcoming centralized procurement will undoubtedly once again demonstrate the real demand of operators for G.654. E products.
The final centralized procurement volume and results are currently unknown, but the demand for new special optical fibers from operators will be a new driving force for the development of the current fiber optic cable market.
