Ultra-Low-Loss Fiber: Hollow-Core & G.654.D

INDUSTRY NEWS · OPTICAL FIBER · SEPTEMBER 2026

Two records in one week — 0.032 dB/km hollow-core fiber and a 0.144 dB/km G.654.D submarine fiber — plus a 8.5% carrier bid-price increase. For fiber buyers, 2026 is the year ultra-low-loss stopped being a lab number and started to shape real procurement.

Ultra-low-loss optical fiber moved to the center of Chinese fiber procurement this month. Within five days, YOFC reported an anti-resonant hollow-core fiber at 0.032 dB/km, Hengtong disclosed a G.654.D submarine fiber at 0.144 dB/km, and China Mobile’s second 2026–2027 ordinary-cable tender raised its price ceiling by 8.5%. Together they describe a market where capacity, not discounting, is the constraint.

YOFC: hollow-core fiber down to 0.032 dB/km

At the 2026 China Computing Conference (September 11–13, Langfang), YOFC introduced an anti-resonant hollow-core fiber with attenuation of 0.032 dB/km, which the company describes as a global lowest transmission-loss record. That is roughly a 20% improvement on the 0.04 dB/km figure associated with its HollowBand product line in March 2026.

The company also stated it has built a complete preform–drawing–cabling chain, has delivered more than 10,000 fiber-kilometers cumulatively, and points to a longest commercial link of about 100 km. Hollow-core fiber is attractive to AI-cluster operators because light travels faster in air than in glass, cutting latency on latency-sensitive east–west traffic — but commercial maturity, splicing and connectorization remain the real gating items.

Hengtong: G.654.D submarine fiber at 0.144 dB/km

In a September 15 investor-relations disclosure, Hengtong Optic-Electric reported that its G.654.D submarine fiber reached an attenuation coefficient of 0.144 dB/km in March 2026, which it describes as a domestic record and internationally leading. The fiber is positioned for 800G/1.6T coherent and trans-oceanic links. The same disclosure covered ultra-low-loss multi-core fiber (two-core and four-core, with the four-core passing sea trials) and a 165 µm reduced-diameter bend-insensitive series.

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China Mobile’s tender: the price signal buyers should read

On September 4, China Mobile published the second-round result of its 2026–2027 ordinary optical cable tender: about 2.1618 million fiber-cable-kilometers (69.222 million fiber-kilometers), with a tax-exclusive maximum price of 7.0998 billion CNY — an 8.5% increase over the 6.543 billion CNY first round. Eighteen suppliers qualified; YOFC took the largest share at 10.07%, followed by Hengtong at 9.90% and ZTT and FiberHome at 9.42% each. Notably, 17 of the bidders quoted at the ceiling price.

Read carefully, that last detail matters more than the headline. When most bidders sit at the ceiling rather than undercutting, it signals tight supply and an end to the price war in commodity cable — a change in the negotiating environment for any overseas buyer who has been benchmarking against historical Chinese cable pricing.

What this means for fiber buyers

• Commodity cable: if your benchmark is a 2024–2025 Chinese cable price, expect upward pressure. Lock longer terms or confirm indexation now.
• Submarine and long-haul: G.654.D-class fiber is the right conversation for 800G/1.6T coherent spans; ask for attenuation distribution data, not a single best-case figure.
• Hollow-core: treat it as a trial route, not a drop-in replacement. Ask about splice loss, connectorization, and whether the supplier can quote a cabled assembly rather than bare fiber.
• Supplier evidence: record figures like 0.032 dB/km and 0.144 dB/km are typically best-value or record measurements. Request batch-level test reports and the measurement condition (wavelength, length, temperature).

Fiber sourcing checklist for 2026–2027

• Specify fiber category precisely: G.652.D, G.654.D, G.657.A2 or hollow-core — and the standard revision.
• Ask for attenuation statistics (mean, max, distribution) per batch, at the stated wavelength.
• Confirm cable construction separately from fiber grade: sheath, ribbon pitch, bend radius, and any plenum or flame rating for the destination market.
• For hyperscale or AI-datacenter routes, ask whether factory-terminated trunk assemblies are available to cut field splicing.
• Check destination-market compliance coverage — for example US OFNP/NFPA 262 for indoor plenum paths — against the specific construction quoted.

Sources and disclosure

Figures are compiled from public internet sources dated September 2026: YOFC’s own announcement of its anti-resonant hollow-core fiber, Hengtong’s September 15 investor-relations disclosure as reported by Chinese trade media, and the published China Mobile 2026–2027 ordinary optical cable tender result. Record attenuation values are supplier statements; measurement conditions and batch distribution are not published. Supply-and-price commentary in this article is interpretation, not vendor guidance. TUOLAN TRADE is not affiliated with the companies mentioned; product names belong to their respective owners.