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OFC/NFOEC 2008 saw a revival of sorts in the optical communications industry. Alongside solid acceptance of 10-Gig and 40-Gig and ROADM, there was surprising talk of 100 Gig and WDM PON. Several startups touted the benefits -- and some prototypes -- of silicon photonics, which promise lower cost, lower power consumption, and lower component footprint. And what would a fiber optic conference be without speculation about low margins, lack of investment, and the push for consolidation? All of that and more from San Diego!
Finisar has found renewed success now that the telecom equipment vendors have moved to more pluggable optics. Although the company has seen some turbulent quarters due to supply chain glitches, it is in an enviable position as the largest manufacturer of optical transceivers and transponders; as such the company is less subject to the pressure for market consolidation. Finisar's CEO talked to us about these issues and more, including the growth in 40Gig demand, the still hot 10Gig market, some frank views on 100Gig hype and Finisar's recent investment in Nistica, a ROADM company
The optical communications industry is back on the rise, but this time it’s the consumer who is driving the networks’ needs for agility and innovation. Applications such as YouTube and Facebook are creating ever more unpredictable stresses on the network, but how are the equipment providers responding? Is photonic integration the answer on the road to 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s networks? LRTV looks at what lies in the future for the optical industry with JDSU’s David Gudmundson, NSN’s Hans-Juergen Schmidtke, and Heavy Reading’s own Sterling Perrin.
The inventor of Ethernet, Bob Metcalfe, will be the keynote speaker at OFC/NFOEC, where he will tackle the subject of the future of Ethernet, which he is calling Terabit Ethernet. Check out Metcalfe's predictions on timeframe and the technology it will take to get us there.
