Jim Zou debates the future of the fiber spectrum at OFC 2026
Session will feature a three-round competitive debate on wavelength bands and the deployment of hollow-core fiber across all network reaches
- Speakers: Jim Zou, director of global business development at Adtran; Ben Puttnam, Microsoft; Brian Kim, Lumentum; Chigo Okonkwo, Eindhoven University of Technology; Daryl Inniss, LightCounting; Glenn Wellbrock, Verizon; Haoshuo Chen, Nokia Bell Labs; Jose Pozo, Optica; Lara Garrett, SubCom; Maxim Kuschnerov, Huawei; Mike Frankel, Google; Wladek Forysiak, University of Bristol
- Topics: Rump session: From short hops to long hauls: What parts of the fiber spectrum shall we use, and why?
- When: Tuesday, March 17, 7:30 p.m. PT
- Where: OFC 2026, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California, USA https://www.ofcconference.org
The advancement of hollow-core fiber presents new potential for optical networking, including sub-0.1 dB/km loss, ultra-low nonlinearity and improved latency. As the technology becomes cost-competitive with standard fiber, the industry will face decisions about which wavelength bands should prevail. This includes whether incumbent C- and L-bands will survive the emergence of challenger bands such as S, E and U.
In this light-hearted, interactive Rump Session, Jim Zou will join a team of experts to debate the future of the fiber spectrum across three rounds: intra-data center connectivity, access and metro networks and long-haul submarine systems. The session follows a competitive format where teams shape a vision for spectral usage across different reaches, concluding with an audience vote to decide the most compelling argument.