Surge in Demand for Dark Fiber Leasing among Russian IT Companies

Russian IT companies are showing significant interest in leasing unused fiber optic lines, often referred to as dark fiber—existing yet underutilized infrastructure that operators can redirect to other locations. According to a report by Vedomosti, citing a study from the IT integrator Telecom Exchange, the demand for this service surged by 20% in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

The study, conducted in May 2025 among 200 IT decision-makers from banks, retail chains, and industrial firms, revealed that over one-third (35%) of respondents confirmed the use of leased backup networks, a sharp increase from the mere 15% who utilized this service the previous year. Representatives from Softline, MegaFon, Obit, and the marketplace Wildberries & Russ have also confirmed the growing demand for dark fiber.

According to Anastasia Bidzelova, the director of development and operations for Telecom Exchange, dark fiber is particularly sought after by firms with complex IT infrastructures that require the transfer of large data volumes. She noted that employing backup channels can lead to cost optimization in expensive infrastructure projects. This is especially relevant for telecommunications operators and data center service providers, who constitute about half of all dark fiber lessees, according to the survey findings.

Denis Kuskov, general director of Telecom Daily, estimates that around 20,000 to 25,000 kilometers of fiber optic trunk lines are built annually in Russia. However, he argues that high interest rates have made long-term, capital-intensive construction less attractive than leasing existing infrastructure.

The Telecom Exchange estimates that the Russian dark fiber market could be valued between 15 and 25 billion rubles annually, with potential growth reaching 30 to 40 billion rubles by 2030. Bidzelova estimates that dark fiber represents about 10 to 30% of the overall infrastructure.