CONTENTS
4 Industry News 8 800G Coherent Pluggables Fady Masoud 10 Flexible ROADM technology Kazuichi Ichikawa 14 The AI-led overhaul George Ashwin 18 Future of coherent optics Helen Xenos 20 The role of V-Grooves Focuslight 26 Long-haul connectivity Steve Roberts 29 Ultra long haul networks Eugene Park 32 Optical Evolution John Edwards
Welcome to the Autumn edition of Optical Connections, my first as editor. I want to begin by recognising the brilliant job Peter Dykes has done for the last seven years. I will do my best to emulate the high standards he set during his editorship. It is a very exciting time for the sector with the 30th anniversary of the ECOC conference and exhibition upon us. But as we look back, we also want to look into the future as I cannot recall a time when there were so many new technologies and innovations driving this industry forward and responding to the challenges it faces. My personal link with optical communications dates back to September 8, 1980, when I was a young press officer for British Telecom, helping to launch its first fibre optic cable between Walsall and Brownhills – coining the now- familiar phrase that the optical fibres were “thinner than a human hair.” I also remember visiting the Plessey research centre at Caswell, where the scientists were preparing what they claimed was the first ever optical switch to be demonstrated at Palexpo. My next major chapter leading to the role as Editor of Optical Connections was my involvement in ECOC, which stretches right back to 2002. The pace of the sector’s technological advances has been nothing short of remarkable to witness. And now, as the industry steps into the AI driven era with fresh challenges, it is rising with innovation to meet the surging demands for bandwidth. This Autumn edition of Optical Connections dives into the technologies redefining that landscape. From the evolving role of coherent optics and IP-over-DWDM, to scalable ROADM architectures and engineered PIC-fibre interfaces, the issue highlights the technologies supporting next generation optical networks to overcome the daunting challenges they face. We also explore alternative solutions for AI-ready data centres and the future of fibre for long-haul connectivity. It has been a real pleasure putting together my first issue of Optical Connections. I hope you enjoy reading it and I look forward to catching up with many of you in Copenhagen! OPTICAL CONNECTIONS – WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THEM TODAY?
34 ECOC preview 40 Product News
Brian Dolby Editor, Optical Connections
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ISSUE 42 | Q3 2025
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