10G Pilot Expanded to 136 Cities, Full-Optical Network Penetration Rate in Parks Hits 55%: Is It Too Late to Join the Full-Optical Network Agency Business? Three Groups Still Have Opportunities

In April 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced the completion of the 10G Optical Network Pilot Program. A total of 136 national projects passed the acceptance inspection, including 52 10G residential quarters, 38 10G factories and 46 10G industrial parks. Multiple 10G park pilot projects in Changzhou, Chongqing, Jiangsu and other regions have all been approved.

Meanwhile, full-optical parks have been deployed in over 15,000 locations worldwide, covering education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and other sectors. According to the White Paper on the Development of the Optical Communication Industry released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), the overall market size of China’s optical network industry is projected to reach approximately RMB 586 billion in 2026. From 2026 to 2030, the full-optical network market is expected to grow from RMB 184 billion to RMB 320 billion.

Despite the expanding market, anxiety is spreading among system integrators: “All 136 pilot projects have been delivered, and 10G networks are being rolled out on a large scale. Is it still viable for me to become a full-optical network agent at this stage?”

We will cut straight to the point: Yes, it is still viable, yet the opportunity window is narrowing. Three categories of partners can still capture dividends by entering the market now.

I. Three Reasons Why It Is Not Too Late

Reason 1: Pilots Do Not Equal Full Coverage; Replication and Promotion Have Just Kicked Off

The 136 pilot projects cover 86 prefecture-level cities, while China has nearly 300 cities at or above the prefecture level. The 46 10G park pilots account for only a tiny fraction of tens of thousands of industrial parks nationwide, with an extremely low penetration rate. Penetration in county-level markets is even lower, almost a blank market.

The construction focus is shifting from scattered demonstration sites to large-scale clustered deployment. Mass replication and promotion work following pilot validation has only just commenced. The pilots are done, but widespread rollout is just starting.

Reason 2: Policies Are Not Winding Down, But Being Scaled Up

Some hold the view that “with pilots completed, policy dividends have dried up”. On the contrary, the next phase after pilot verification is scaling up deployment and unlocking commercial value. The transition from pilot testing to nationwide promotion marks the amplification of policy incentives. Investment in full-optical computing power networks exceeded RMB 32 billion in 2026. Policies have moved from tentative trials to vigorous advancement, bringing greater market rewards.

Reason 3: Market Demand Outpaces Service Supply

Full-optical network technical architectures (POL, Fiber-to-the-Room, Passive Optical Network) differ drastically from traditional data communication systems, requiring professional capabilities in design, cabling, commissioning and after-sales O&M. However, most local system integrators and engineering teams have not yet mastered these skill sets.

China’s POL market is forecast to grow by 5.6% in 2026, reaching a market size of RMB 1.89 billion. While the market keeps expanding, qualified service providers remain in short supply. Once full-optical networking becomes a mainstream capability accessible to everyone, the opportunity window will close completely.

II. Three Groups That Can Still Seize the Opportunity

Group 1: Low-Voltage System Integrators with Client Resources but Inadequate Technical Solutions

This group has accumulated trusted client resources through past projects in hotels, schools and industrial parks. Yet they struggle to respond when clients raise demands for full-optical network renovation. Traditional data communication solutions fail to meet client expectations for Fiber-to-the-Room deployment and reduced equipment room footprint. Without mature full-optical solutions in their portfolio, they can only lose orders to competitors.

Recommended Cooperation Model: Partner with a manufacturer that delivers end-to-end solution support. AINOPOL adopts the “You handle front-end, we cover back-end” model: agents take charge of client communication and commercial negotiations, while the manufacturer undertakes solution design, tender document drafting, topology drawing, equipment commissioning and after-sales operation and maintenance. Clients belong exclusively to you, and technical support is fully backed by the vendor.

Group 2: Low-Voltage Construction Teams with On-Site Execution Capacity but No Product & Solution Portfolio

These teams own professional construction crews experienced in structured cabling, cable routing and hardware installation, but lack stable product supply channels and full-optical solution expertise. Full-optical projects involve entirely new construction workflows: technicians who previously deployed switches now need to work with optical splitters, OLTs and ONUs; twisted-pair cabling is replaced by fiber cold splicing and fusion splicing; instead of simply installing switches, teams must calculate splitting ratios and design ODN link layouts.

Recommended Cooperation Model: Construction execution is the final critical link for full-optical project delivery. AINOPOL provides full-lifecycle pre-sales and after-sales technical backup, guiding partners through equipment installation, splitting ratio calculation and ODN link testing. The manufacturer supplies complete products and technical schemes, while you take ownership of on-site construction and project implementation.

Group 3: Traditional Network Equipment Distributors Seeking Business Transformation

These distributors have long focused on reselling switches, routers and network cables. The traditional data communication market is plagued by transparent pricing, slim profit margins and fierce price comparison among buyers. Many are eager to pivot but lack a clear direction.

Recommended Cooperation Model: Leverage your existing distribution experience and channel network for product line upgrading. The replacement of legacy data communication infrastructure with full-optical networks is an irreversible technological trend. Your current clients will inevitably face full-optical upgrade demands within three years. Proactive layout today beats reactive scrambling in the future.

III. Core Criteria for Selecting the Right Partnership Model

Despite different backgrounds, all three groups face the same core challenge when joining full-optical agency business: how to select a manufacturer that can amplify your strengths and offset your weaknesses.

Numerous vendors offer full-optical hardware, yet their cooperation frameworks vary widely. A poor choice may lead to diluted client ownership, squeezed profit margins and disjointed business development.

Evaluate potential manufacturers from three key dimensions:

Dimension 1: Will the Vendor Poach Your End Clients?

This is the top priority, especially for integrators with valuable client relationships. If the manufacturer can bypass you to contact end users directly, the projects and trust you have nurtured over months could vanish overnight.

Do not rely on verbal commitments during investment promotion; verify binding clauses in the formal contract. AINOPOL enforces three non-negotiable core rules:

Rule No.01: Permanent Ban on Direct End-Client Engagement – the manufacturer never deals with end users directly, with all businesses led exclusively by channel partners.

Rule No.06: Absolute Project Protection – filed projects grant exclusive agency authorization, and no internal staff is allowed to interfere with registered orders in violation of regulations.

Rule No.08: Full Allocation of End User Leads – 100% of all end customer leads sourced by the manufacturer are assigned free of charge to authorized regional partners.

These institutional rules fundamentally eliminate the risk of client poaching by the vendor.

Dimension 2: Will the Vendor Force Inventory Stockpiling?

A critical concern for construction teams and distributors. Construction projects have variable lead times and strain cash flow, while distributors bear heavy capital pressure to maintain inventory across multiple product lines. Mandatory bulk stocking of full-optical equipment will tie up your working capital.

Review the vendor’s inventory policy clearly. AINOPOL implements:

Rule No.04: Zero Mandatory Stocking – no forced inventory requirements, all purchases based on actual project demand.

Rule No.05: Cash-on-Delivery for Standard Orders – agents are not required to advance funds for regular orders.

This means you only purchase equipment when a project is confirmed, resulting in zero inventory pressure and zero capital occupation.

Dimension 3: Can the Vendor Fill Your Technical Gaps?

Integrators lack solution design capabilities, construction teams need full-optical deployment know-how, and distributors require support to shift from pure hardware resale to solution-based service delivery. A vendor that only sells devices without technical backing leaves you unable to execute projects independently.

Assess the depth of technical after-sales support. AINOPOL sticks to the “Frontend by Partner, Backend by Vendor” framework: agents manage client relations and commercial deals, while the manufacturer takes full responsibility for tender writing, solution design, network topology drawing, equipment commissioning and long-term O&M. End-to-end technical coverage saves you the cost and burden of building an in-house professional full-optical technical team.

The three evaluation metrics above — client protection, inventory policy and technical support — determine whether a manufacturer aims to exploit your resources or empower your growth.

The core demands shared by all three partner groups are consistent: no forced stocking, no advance capital outlay, zero risk of client hijacking, and outsourced technical problem-solving. AINOPOL’s 18 binding partnership rules are precisely designed to safeguard these interests. Review the cooperation framework thoroughly before signing any contract.

The completion of 136 10G pilot projects marks the inflection point where full-optical networks transition from experimental trials to large-scale commercial promotion. This is not a signal of missed opportunities, but a clear indicator that massive market expansion has officially begun.

For client-rich yet technically limited integrators, skilled construction crews lacking product portfolios, and legacy distributors in transformation, entering the full-optical agency market right now perfectly aligns with the post-pilot mass rollout timeline. Enter too early, and the market remains immature; enter too late, and the opportunity window closes.

Now is the perfect timing.

FAQ

Q1: With all 136 pilots finished, is there still untapped market potential?

A: Definitely. The 136 pilots only cover 86 cities, leaving countless prefecture-level and county-level markets untouched. The 46 10G park pilots represent a negligible percentage of tens of thousands of industrial parks nationwide. The real revenue potential lies in the large-scale replication and promotion phase following pilot validation.

Q2: I work in traditional data communications. How long will it take to learn full-optical network transformation?

A: If your vendor provides systematic training and dedicated pre-sales support, you can grasp basic client communication skills within one to two weeks. The manufacturer will deliver formal solutions and network topologies for pre-sales, plus full commissioning and O&M for after-sales. You do not need to become a senior full-optical network specialist yourself.

Q3: Could the manufacturer steal my clients?

A: It depends on enforceable contract terms. Binding clauses such as “registered project exclusive protection” and “prohibition on direct end-user contact” with clear breach compensation mechanisms offer legal safeguards. AINOPOL embeds Rule No.01 (Permanent Ban on Direct End-Client Engagement) and Rule No.06 (Absolute Project Protection) directly into formal cooperation contracts.