News and BusinessThe Iberian Peninsula has emerged as the world’s first “Distributed Digital Capital” and is poised to become Europe’s next major AI hub, according to a new study by Dstream Group, commissioned by DE-CIX. The region has a unique digital ecosystem ready to serve the demands of AI, with distributed infrastructure interconnecting the strategic hubs of […]
News and BusinessThe optical communications industry is entering a new era, one that is defined scale, efficiency, and intelligence. This shift was front and centre at this year’s ECOC Exhibition in Málaga, where Market Focus Committee Chair Michael Lebby outlined how artificial intelligence is set to transform photonics over the coming decade. Lebby describes today’s moment as […]
News and BusinessAt Network X, the Broadband Forum will showcase how its broadband standards are moving from theory to deployment, powering real-life use cases such as Agentic AI management, AI root cause analysis and self-managing networks. The collaborative and multi-vendor demonstrations will highlight how service providers can convert the smart home into a revenue-driving opportunity. “The Broadband […]
News and BusinessNew research from connectivity provider Neos Networks has revealed a growing tension at the heart of the UK’s AI ambitions: businesses are confident they can scale AI workloads, but network infrastructure is already shaping where and how that growth can happen. New research found that 78% of large enterprises across financial services, manufacturing, life sciences, […]
UncategorisedThe Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has announced the publication of its Implementation Agreement (IA) for 1600ZR Coherent Interfaces. This specification defines an interoperable 1.6T coherent line interface and frame format for single-span, amplified, point-to-point Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) links up to 120 kilometres. The highly anticipated IA doubles the capacity of OIF’s 800ZR specification, […]
News and BusinessEvery email, video call, cloud service, and connected device depends on data moving quickly and reliably. As digital activity grows, communications networks must carry more information over greater distances without sacrificing speed or quality. Optical communication meets this challenge by encoding data in light and sending it through optical fiber, providing the capacity needed for […]
News and BusinessPhotonics manufacturer Cailabs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with data centre operator NTT, Inc. to advance direct optical connectivity between satellite networks and terrestrial data infrastructure. The partnership will examine the integration of NTT’s digital coherent and network control technology into Cailabs’ optical ground stations (OGS), as well as the connection of selected optical […]
Technologies and ProductsSemiconductor manufacturer Imec has launched a new Ge/Si photodiode that can handle fast signals, works at low power, and deliver high sensitivity across key-fibre optic wavelengths at ECOC 2026. This breakthrough marks an important step toward next-generation optical interconnects for AI data centres, where vast amounts of data must be exchanged with ever-higher speed and […]
Product FocusEight leading companies have been honoured with prestigious awards for standout innovations in optical connectivity at the ECOC Exhibition’s Industry Awards 2026 ceremony yesterday in Málaga, Spain. The awards highlighted major progress across optical modules, test and measurement, fibre infrastructure, and access networks that are powering Europe’s next generation of connectivity – including photonics, quantum […]
MagazineWelcome to the Autumn 2026 edition and ECOC Exhibition 2026 special of Optical Connections A year ago, we were highlighting the industry’s impressive momentum, as it accelerated new optical technologies and initiatives to meet the emerging demands of AI‑driven data centre connectivity. This year, we are starting to see that progress move from concept to […]
Technologies and ProductsPhotonics Manufacturer LIGENTEC has launched a new type of chip that combines two advanced technologies to accelerate AI interconnects, quantum computing, and high-speed optical communications. The platform integrates Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) and III-V Photodetectors (PD) into its low-loss Silicon Nitride (SiN) platform. The announcement marks the company’s 10 years of Silicon Nitride (SiN) photonic […]
Technologies and ProductsHuawei has announced the launch of the world’s first mass-produced Near-packaged optic (NPO) optical engine as it seeks to set the standard for next-generation AI infrastructure. The Hi-ONE NPO delivers transmission capacity at 7.2 Tbit/s and is currently the industry’s only NPO with a built-in light source. An NPO is an architectural design where light-based […]
News and BusinessTelxius and Nokia are collaborating to deploy 800G coherent pluggable optics across Telxius’ terrestrial transport networks in Europe, the United States and Latin America. The deployment supports the continual evolution of Telxius’ network in response to growing customer demand for scalable, high-capacity connectivity across key international network corridors. Cloud services, AI workloads and data centre […]
News and BusinessElectro-optics developer NLM Photonics has announced that it has received investment from Pangaea Ventures and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation’s Diamond Edge Ventures to accelerate commercialisation of its organic photonic ecosystem. Existing investors Emerald Technology Ventures, Oregon Venture Fund, Idemitsu, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. (TOK), and StoryHouse Ventures strengthened their investment, alongside private investors and company […]
Applications and ResearchMulti-orbit satcom operations specialist neXat has announced that it has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead a €1.5 million project to automate satellite backup for submarine fibre networks. The company will work with satellite operator Telesat and telecoms infrastructure provider Colt Technology Services Belgium to design, build and field-demonstrate an innovative […]
Uncategorisedheta has introduced two complementary solutions designed to improve the planning and delivery of fibre, utility and energy infrastructure. het.ENGINEERING combines end-to-end engineering expertise with AI-enabled tools, validated data and aligned surveying and design workflows. By resolving constraints before construction, it produces stable, build-ready HLDs and LLDs that reduce permitting rework, delays and cost overruns. The […]
Product FocusHigh-channel-count electrical and optical test solutions enable production-scale validation for next-generation LPO, CPO, NPO and AI infrastructure MÁLAGA, Spain — September 2026 — RFOptix will showcase its latest portfolio of high-performance electrical and optical test solutions at ECOC 2026 (Booth 1402), introducing technologies designed to accelerate the transition to 224 Gbps per lane and beyond […]
News and BusinessNokia and Orange have announced a successful live trial of network tomography, which gives service providers near real-time visibility into conditions across a live optical transport network. The trial, which is a is a first of its kind, demonstrates how advanced optical network intelligence can help operators better understand, manage and optimize their transport networks […]
Technologies and ProductsSemiconductor developer Semtech has released an “industry-first” chipset for 10G passive optical network optical line terminal (OLT) applications. As network operators globally begin scaling to 50G PON deployments, equipment vendors need to support multiple generations of PON technology – GPON, XGS-PON and 50G PON, all within a space-constrained SFP-DD module form factor. 50G OLT systems […]
Applications and ResearchQuantum computing solutions provider Sparrow Quantum has reported that its deterministic photon source now delivers more than 500 million single photons per second into a single-mode fibre. According to the company, this is the highest single photon flux reported to date. The source operates at 1 GHz rate with more than 50% fibre efficiency, high […]