WANA (Aug 09) – The CEO of the Telecommunication Company of Iran (TCI) has announced the launch of a national fiber optic mega project that will replace all copper cables in the country within five years, providing high-speed connections to 27 million subscribers.

 

At a press conference attended by media representatives and ICT industry professionals, TCI CEO Mohammad Jafarpoor and Deputy for Communications Davood Zareian outlined the company’s upcoming strategies and technological transformation plans.

 

Jafarpoor said the project—described as the largest ICT initiative in the country—will phase out copper cables, which have been the foundation of fixed-line communications in Iran for nearly a century.

 

While fiber deployment has been on the agenda since 2016, he noted that progress was limited until now. Backed by domestic manufacturing, the new plan will fully transition the network to fiber optic cables.

 

According to Jafarpoor, the project will maximize the use of locally made equipment, from fiber optic cables to network transmission hardware, boosting the domestic industry and creating an estimated 10,000 jobs for every one million connections. Numerous private contractors are already working with TCI, with cooperation expected to expand as the rollout progresses.

 

The initiative will start with provincial capitals, where high population density creates greater demand for bandwidth that mobile networks cannot meet alone.

Iran Launches Fiber Optic Megaproject

Iran Launches Fiber Optic Megaproject. Social media/ WANA News Agency

TCI has already designed fiber optic networks for all 31 provincial centers, and in several provinces, the copper-to-fiber migration is underway. The company expects the rollout to begin in all provincial capitals by the end of 2025.

 

Iran currently has more than 11,000 active telecom centers—about one every four kilometers—offering copper-based landline services. In Tehran alone, there are 80 such centers.

 

Under the new plan, these centers will be replaced with modern fiber-based infrastructure, leading to a significant reduction in power consumption and operational costs.

 

Jafarpoor added that the migration will involve retiring current TDM-based digital exchanges in favor of IP-based technologies, enabling future telephony services to be delivered entirely over modern platforms.

 

This shift will not only modernize fixed-line services for 27 million users but also mark a major step in Iran’s telecommunications transformation.

 

In addition to the fiber project, TCI is expanding cloud computing services, first launched at last year’s Telecom Exhibition. Initially offered to commercial and large-scale organizations, these services are now used by major banks, oil and gas companies, and industrial enterprises.

Iran Launches Fiber Optic Megaproject

Iran Launches Fiber Optic Megaproject. Social media/ WANA News Agency