PRESS RELEASE
04 March 2022
Contact:
media@ofcconference.org
OFC Unveils OFCnet – a Live Research & Education Network in Joint Collaboration with CENIC
The 34Tbps gateway will enable academia and industry to connect and collaborate over a high-speed fiber optic network
SAN DIEGO – OFC, in collaboration with the operator of California’s research and education network CENIC, is launching OFCnet, a live high-speed fiber path designed to accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge networking technology. The fiber will connect CENIC’s facility in San Diego to the San Diego Convention Center, where OFC is being held 06-10 March 2022 (Exhibits open 08-10 March).
OFC is the premier international event for the latest advances in optical communications and networking. OFCnet demonstrations will be held in booth 2429.
The OFCnet gateway, with up to 34Tb/s of bandwidth, will enable academia and industry to join forces to push the boundaries as they design, build and utilize this platform for cutting-edge networking technologies. The vision of OFCnet is being facilitated through the collaboration of CENIC, Ciena, EXFO, Lumen, Smart City Networks, the University of California San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute and Supercomputer Center and Viavi. This team of visionaries aims to bring together bright minds from academia, industry and government to make this innovative networking infrastructure flourish in the future. The network will be available for the next five years.
“CENIC is thrilled to be able to help facilitate this dedicated high-capacity infrastructure to drive adoption and innovation in optical networking technology,” said CENIC’s Vice President of Engineering and Security Tony Nguyen. “It is through private and public collaborative projects like this that our research and education communities are empowered to accelerate discovery in solving our toughest challenges.”
“OFCnet presents a game-changing opportunity for the research and education (R&E) community to participate in OFC,” said OFC General Chairs Shinji Matsuo, David Plant and Jun Shan Wey. “This is just the beginning of an incredible collaboration with industry, government and academia to provide a platform for data sharing and discoveries that are driving innovation around the world.”
“Pushing boundaries is what the OFC community does so well, and we’re proud to provide the fiber backbone that will connect CENIC’s facility and the San Diego Convention Center, making OFCnet at OFC a reality,” said Ed Morche, president of Lumen’s North American Enterprise and Public Sector. “CENIC’s high speed network is built on the Lumen optical fiber and colocation infrastructure to quickly and securely connect academia, government and industry to drive innovation. These ultra-fast connections are designed to increase scientific collaboration among diverse organizations across the U.S.”
Health and Safety:
OFC Management is committed to the health and safety of conference participants and is following global, federal, state, and local health guidelines in preparation for OFC 2022. All conference attendees, exhibitors, vendors and staff must be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination with photo ID, and wear a mask in the San Diego Convention Center at all times except when actively eating and drinking. Please visit the health and safety page for additional information on requirements and procedures for entering the conference, including vaccine and mask guidelines.
Registration Information:
Credentialed media and analysts who wish to cover OFC can find registration and other essential information in the OFC media room.
About OFC
The 2022 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is the premier conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. For more than 45 years, OFC has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections, and move businesses forward.
OFC includes dynamic business programming, an exhibition of global companies and high impact peer-reviewed research that, combined, showcase the trends that are shaping the entire optical networking and communications industry. OFC is co-sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc), the IEEE Photonics Society and Optica (formerly OSA). OFC in 2022 will be presented in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual components and will take place 06-10 March 2022 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, USA. Follow OFC on Twitter @OFCConference, learn more at OFC Community LinkedIn, and watch highlights on OFC YouTube.