Once completed, the 4,600 Afghan Fiber Optic Ring (also known as the Afghan National Civil Optical Fiber Cable-OFC ring network) within the broader regional “Digital Silk Road” aims to improve regional connectivity and expand the regional knowledge economy in Central, South, and. Once completed, the 4,600 Afghan Fiber Optic Ring (also known as the Afghan National Civil Optical Fiber Cable-OFC ring network) within the broader regional “Digital Silk Road” aims to improve regional connectivity and expand the regional knowledge economy in Central, South, and. Afghanistan is fast developing into a major trade and transit hub for subsea and transcontinental communication. It is unclear how long telephone and cellular networks will be affected, or to what degree. Several weeks ago, the Taliban began cutting fiber optic cables in some regions of. Economic experts emphasize the importance of regional cooperation, particularly with Central Asian countries, to connect Afghanistan to fiber optic networks. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has announced the approval of a project to lay 488 kilometers of fiber optic cable. New cables are currently being established and cell towers are being raised all over the country (“Afghanistan expands,” 2024; Khawrin, 2023). Scope: Deployment of a 1,200-km fiber optic backbone network integrating aerial, underground, and submarine routes to enhance national broadband connectivity and support 5G/FTTH rollout.