Technical Conference: 15 - 19 March 2026
Exhibition: 17 - 19 March 2026
Los Angeles Convention Center | Los Angeles, California, USA

Technical Conference: 15 - 19 March 2026
Exhibition: 17 - 19 March 2026
Los Angeles Convention Center | Los Angeles, California, USA

Workshop: Will Coherent Pluggables Take Over Everything?

Initially proposed for datacenter interconnect applications, coherent pluggable modules are increasingly finding use throughout the network, as network operators seek to leverage them to save cost and power. In the set of emerging 1.6 Tb/s standards, we see coherent pluggable standards defined over links from 2 km to 2000 km, raising the possibility that pluggables might be both inside-the-datacenter and operating long-haul links in the near future. 

This workshop will explore the evolving role of pluggable optical transceivers in modern network architectures, assessing their potential to become ubiquitous across optical networks - from intra-datacenter up to ultra-long reach subsea cables. Industry experts will discuss technological advancements, real-world deployment scenarios, and whether pluggables can truly meet the diverse requirements of optical transport networks in the future.

The key questions to address in this workshop are:

  • Are there DSP features in embedded systems that cannot be replicated in a pluggable?
  • What are the key features that coherent pluggables are missing? How can we enable them?
  • What factors limit reach for coherent pluggables?
  • Is modem SNR a barrier to ubiquitous deployment of pluggables?
  • What are the unique challenges for coherent pluggable adoption in new scenarios, such as inside-the-datacenter, long-haul terrestrial networks, and submarine networks? 
  • What network design and management innovations can pluggables enable?

Organizers

  • Domaniç Lavery

    Nokia

  • David Millar

    Nokia

  • Rene Schmogrow

    Attotude

Network Operators Speakers

  • Saurabh Kumar

    AWS

  • Rob Maher

    Google

  • Pascal Pecci

    Meta

  • Mark Watts

    Verizon

Equipment Manufacturers Speakers

  • Han (Henry) Sun

    Nokia

  • Helen Xenos

    Cienna

  • Radha Nagarajan

    Marvell

  • Tony Wang

    Celero Communications