OFC 2020, the Premier Annual Event for Optical Communications and Networking, Kicks Off in San Diego

Explore the latest in optical communications innovation, data-center connectivity, machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI), applications of optical networks in 5G and cloud computing at The Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition (OFC), the single-most important annual event in optical communications and networking. OFC's technical programming kicks off Sunday, 8 March and exhibits open 10-12 March at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California, U.S.A.

"We are a global community who will continue to interact, in spite of difficult global situations," the OFC Steering Committee and Program and General Chairs conveyed. "We now find ourselves 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 our field will continue as planned." 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 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 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 Sunday, 8 March, OFC's five-day technical program 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 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 Session can be viewed live via a free Webcast. Click here to register. Join and follow the conversation with hashtag #OFC20. Follow @OFCConference, learn more OFC Community LinkedIn, and watch highlights OFC YouTube.

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.

MEDIA REGISTRATION

Online media/analyst registration for OFC will remain open throughout the event to expedite the registration and badge pick-up process. We encourage all media/analyst registrants to pre-register online. Badge pick-up will be available in the Media Center, in Room 5A on the upper floor of the San Diego Convention Center. Eligible members of the media/analyst community may also register on-site. To register on-site, please proceed to the Media Center, in Room 5A on the upper floor of the San Diego Convention Center.

About OFC

The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is recognized as the largest global conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals in the world. For nearly 50 years, OFC has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and advance the communications industry. OFC captures the pulse of the entire optical networking and communications industry by featuring dynamic business programming, exhibitions by more than 700 companies, and high impact peer-reviewed research. OFC is managed by The Optical Society (OSA) and cosponsored by OSA, the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc) and the IEEE Photonics Society.