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19 January 2018
Groundbreaking Optical Communications Innovations, Data-center Connectivity, 5G Network Upgrades and Cloud Computing Drive Conference Program and Exhibits at OFC 2018
January 19, 2018
Groundbreaking Optical Communications Innovations, Data-center Connectivity, 5G Network Upgrades and Cloud Computing Drive Conference Program and Exhibits at OFC 2018
Innovators, business professionals, academics, investors, industry-leading organizations and more from around the world rely on the unparalleled value of OFC’s exceptional technical programming
SAN DIEGO — OFC 2018 is the single-most important annual event in optical communications. More than 15,000 executives, technical experts, academia, media and analysts, converge to discuss the latest optical innovations for future networking growth segments. The global technology industry depends on the optical innovations and technology debuted and discussed at OFC—it is where to find the technology behind the technology powering our communications today.
Being held from 11-15 March 2018 in San Diego, California, USA, OFC attracts attendees from more than 65 countries. The event, on a growth trajectory with more than 700 exhibitors from leading global companies, has increased in overall square footage by 44% and experienced a 21% growth in exhibitors and attendees in the last five years.
OFC’s conference program is unparalleled—offering the industry’s foremost technical presentations spotlighting market trends and predictions. With the industry experiencing escalating bandwidth growth altering how networks operate and evolve, participation in OFC is more critical than ever.
1,100 conference sessions will tackle the very latest ground-breaking optical innovations, data-center connectivity, 5G-oriented optical networking, quantum-scale and cloud computing, and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in optical networks. Anchoring the week long business and technical conversations and product demos, OFC’s plenary features three industry visionaries discussing future innovations in optics-based communication technologies:
- Marcus Weldon, President, Nokia Bell Labs, USA
- John C. Doyle, John G Braun Professor of Control and Dynamical Systems Electrical Engineering, and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- Chengliang Zhang, Vice President, China Telecom Beijing Research Institute, China
OFC’s programming is focused on relating the most recent progress in research (near- and long-term) and technology, and is presented in a variety of formats, including 1 hour in-depth tutorials, interactive workshops, panel discussions, half-day short courses (separate fee required) and in-depth symposia on hot topics.
Conference programming located in Exhibit hall theaters includes OFC Market Watch, Network Operator Summit and 15+ programs focused on industry growth segments.
- Market Watch is a three-day, six session series of panel discussions on the latest application topics and business issues in the field of optical communications, including the popular “State of the Industry - Analyst Panel.”
- The one-day Network Operator Summit presents the inside perspective from service providers and network operators – their challenges, drivers and how their requirements may impact the future of the industry.
The OFC Open Platform Summit (OPS) Session, “SDN & NFV Demo Zone,” will provide attendees with the opportunity to view live demonstrations and prototypes of collaborative research projects, pre-commercial products and proof-of-concept implementations in the SDN and NFV space.
Building on the success of its first two years, the Connected OFCity Challenge returns in 2018 with a new format. “Connected OFCITY Challenge 2018: Lighting Up the Emerging World” will feature Alibaba and Google collaborating to develop communications infrastructure and services based on requirements defined by CSquared and NSRC, to address the pressing needs for two cities in a fast developing area in East Africa. The scenarios will provide a realistic insight into the major issues faced by the communications industry in emerging economies, which include network reliability, environmental restrictions, limited funding, regulatory issues and more.
Also returning to OFC 2018 is the interactive Lab Automation Hackathon. Technology leaders from Nokia Bell Labs, Acacia Communications and the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden will hold an interactive session demonstrating how to use open source software in easy to learn languages, such as Python, to quickly get a lab experiment running and display the measurements in a browser.
More than 120 invited speakers will participate in OFC’s peer-reviewed technical program.
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS:
With one of the largest exhibit floors in recent years, OFC 2018 will feature more than 700 exhibitors from leading global companies such as Ciena, Coriant, Corning Incorporated, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu Optical Components, Huawei Technologies USA, Inphi, Juniper Networks, MACOM, Mitsubishi International, Nokia, Oclaro and more. Technologies on display include network and test equipment, optical transport systems and optical components, data center interconnects, fiber cables and specialty fiber manufacturers.
MEDIA REGISTRATION: Media/analyst registration for OFC 2018 can be accessed online. Further information is available on the event website at OFC, including travel details.
ABOUT OFC
The Optical Fiber Conference and Exposition (OFC) is the largest global conference and exposition for optical communications and networking professionals. For more than 40 years, OFC has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move business forward.
OFC includes dynamic business programming, an exposition of more than 700 companies, and high impact peer-reviewed research that, combined, showcase the trends and pulse of the entire optical networking and communications industry. OFC is managed by The Optical Society (OSA) and co-sponsored by OSA, the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc), and the IEEE Photonics Society. OFC 2018 will be held from 11-15 March 2018 at the San Diego Convention Center, California, USA. Follow @OFCConference, learn more OFC Conference LinkedIn, and watch highlights OFC YouTube.
Media Contacts:
mediarelations@osa.org
