Get Ready for the Premier Annual Event for Optical Communications & Networking, OFC 2020

Posted  by GoPhotonics

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The Optical Society’s (OSA) premier global conference & exhibition for optical communications and networking, OFC 2020 is set to be held from March 8-12 in San Diego, California, USA. The event is set to feature the latest advancements in optical communications innovation, data-center connectivity, machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI), applications of optical networks in 5G, and cloud computing. While the OFC Conference will kick off on 8th March, the Exhibition floor will open from 10-12 March.

In response to the growing concerns over the spread out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and recent participation cancellations by major companies, the OFC Steering Committee and Program and General Chairs stated that they currently find themselves in unchartered territory but are working together, aiming to put on a conference that utilizes the global telecommunication infrastructure that the OFC community has enabled to allow for virtual technical participation by the international community that has been impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The work and discovery that has made OFC the most important event in the field will continue as planned, conveyed the organizers. Details on health and safety measures that have been implemented in response to the Coronavirus can be found here.

This year’s conference and exhibition will feature nearly 500 exhibiting companies and sponsors, plenary and invited speakers and contributed presentations. All technical registrants will receive information on how to access live and pre-recorded and content captured presentations. Special conference programming includes the Special Chairs’ Sessions Vision 2030: Taking Optical Communications through the Next Decade, Symposia, workshops and panels. The OFC mobile app will have the most up-to-date information on sessions, locations and announcements.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LIGHT-SPEED CONNECTIONS

OFC 2020 will proudly celebrate two discoveries that led to the development of practical fiber optical communications: the demonstration of low-loss fibers (16dB/km) and the first room-temperature semiconductor lasers. Activities include a special keynote presented by David Welch, Infinera Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, on Tuesday, 10 March, 18:15 – 19:00 (PDT), the Timeline of Innovation, a show-floor exhibit that features 50 years of optical fiber milestones, an interactive exhibit highlighting recipients of the John Tyndall Award and a conference reception on Tuesday, 10 March, 19:00 – 20:30 (PDT). Sponsors include Corning (Innovator), Thorlabs (Premier) and Inphi (Supporter).

PLENARY SESSION

Three world-renowned visionaries will explore the future of silica as a pillar of telecommunication technology, the development and realization of 5G wireless networks, and new horizons in gravitational-wave astrophysics during OFC’s Plenary Session, Tuesday, 10 March, 08:00 – 10:00 PDT (15:00 – 17:00 GMT). These visionary speakers include:

  • Dr. Qi Bi, President, China Telecom Technology Innovation Center; CTO, China Telecom Beijing Research Institute, China
  • Dr. Karsten Danzmann, Director, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Germany
  • Sir David Payne, Director, Optoelectronics Research Centre Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics, University of Southampton, UK

All attendees, media/analysts can remotely participate in the OFC Plenary session via live video streaming. Participants must pre-register to receive the live-stream link.

EXHIBITS

OFC’s exhibit floor, open from 10-12 March, will feature hundreds of the most innovative companies in the industry showcasing and unveiling the optical innovations, products, technology and research powering communications networks globally. More than 50 exhibitors have already made strategic announcements in OFC’s First News program (available exclusively to media/analysts), including ACON Optics Communications, CompoundTek, DustPhotonics, Lumerical, OIF, Precise-ITC and VLC Photonics. Interoperability demonstrations from industry-leading groups including Ethernet Alliance, 400G OpenZR+ MSA industry consortium, will be located throughout the exhibit floor. Technologies featured in the demos include: 400ZR, 400G Open ZR+, OpenROADM, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE), 25GbE, 50GbE, 100GbE, 200GbE and 400GbE.

TECHNICAL CONFERENCE

Starting 8th March, OFC’s five-day technical program will be focused on relating the most recent progress in research (near- and long-term) and technology, and is presented in a variety of formats, including peer-reviewed presentations.

BUSINESS PROGRAMMING

This year’s business-focused show floor programming includes Market Watch, Network Operator Summit and Data Center Summit and other sessions.

OFC ONLINE

The Plenary Sessions can be viewed live via a free Webcast. Click here to register.

OFC MOBILE APP

The OFC Mobile App is now available for download for iOS and Android. Download the mobile app to get the most up-to-date information; search for technical presentations; explore the exhibition by viewing a list of exhibitors and show floor programs; network with attendees and much more.
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