A preform manufactured by a method which includes removing a part-tube segment from a center of a receiving tube so that the receiving tube has a core rod receiving cut-out which is formed as a remaining annular sector with two opposite edges, axially introducing a central filling rod into the receiving tube so that the receiving tube contains the central filling rod, inserting a core rod in a radial direction from outside into the core rod receiving cut-out between the two opposite edges of the remaining annular sector so that the receiving tube contains the first core rod, axially introducing the receiving tube containing the core rod and the central filling rod into a jacketing tube so as to obtain a jacketing tube containing the receiving tube, and fusing the jacketing tube containing the receiving tube to form the preform.

A method of manufacturing a hollow core optical fiber including (a) a consolidated tube presenting step including presenting a consolidated cladding tube including a consolidated cladding first end, a consolidated cladding second end, a consolidated cladding longitudinal axis, and a consolidated cladding inner surface, the consolidated cladding inner surface defining a consolidated cladding interior and including consolidated cladding recesses (i) positioned around the consolidated cladding longitudinal axis and (ii) extending from the consolidated first end to the consolidated second end; and (b) a capillary tube coupling step comprising coupling preform capillary tubes to the consolidated cladding inner surface within the consolidated cladding recesses thus creating an optical fiber preform, each of the preform capillary tubes disposed within a different one of the consolidated cladding recesses.