Keeping up with Production in the Face of an 800G ZR/ZR+ Pluggable Surge
The optical networking market is rapidly shifting toward 800G ZR/ZR+ coherent pluggable modules, which double the capacity of the previous 400G generation while slashing cost per bit and power consumption. Built on 3‑nm CMOS DSPs and photonic‑integrated‑circuit (PIC) packaging, these pluggables support open, disaggregated architectures that appeal to AI, cloud and 5G operators. Analysts forecast a multi‑billion‑dollar market—roughly $2‑3 bn—and a 145% compound annual growth rate for shipments through 2029. Yet severe laser shortages and nine‑month DSP lead times are straining supply, prompting vendors to pursue vertical integration and PIC‑centric designs.
Lumos Appoints Scott Mispagel as New CEO to Drive Fiber Expansion
Lumos Networks has appointed telecom veteran Scott Mispagel as its new chief executive officer, succeeding retiring CEO Brian Stading. Mispagel brings experience from Frontier, Windstream and GTE, where he oversaw large‑scale fiber deployments and multi‑billion‑dollar investments. Under his leadership, Lumos...
PODCAST: Show Daily 1 Fiber Connect 2026 News Roundup
Lightwave’s Broadband Pulse podcast delivered a daily roundup from the Fiber Connect 2026 tradeshow in Orlando, highlighting panel discussions on construction roadblocks and edge computing, as well as the Broadband Forum’s four BASe workshops. The podcast featured an interview with...
Corning’s Q1 $1.8B Optical Sales Get Boosted From Gen AI
Corning’s Optical Communications unit posted a 36% year‑over‑year revenue jump to $1.8 billion in Q1, driven by generative AI demand and large hyperscaler contracts, including a $6 billion multi‑year deal with Meta. The company added two more hyperscaler agreements of similar size...
AT&T’s On-Net Business Fiber Dominance Continues
AT&T has retained the top position on Vertical Systems Group’s 2025 U.S. Fiber‑Lit Buildings leaderboard for a decade, underscoring its expansive on‑net fiber footprint built through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In Q1, the company’s Business Fiber and advanced connectivity...
Ekinops Q1 Revenue up 8% on Strong SASE, Software Growth
Ekinops reported Q1 revenue of $32.3 million, an 8% sequential increase driven by strong performance in its SASE and software divisions. Software and Services now represent 20% of total sales, with annual recurring revenue climbing 5% to $18.3 million. Connectivity and SASE...
AT&T Sees More Customers Are Purchasing Fiber Broadband and Wireless Bundles
AT&T added 584,000 net advanced Internet customers in Q1 2026, pushing its organic convergence rate to roughly 45% as more households pair fiber broadband with 5G wireless. The company rolled out the OneConnect platform, letting consumers bundle fiber and wireless under...
AI Drives Data Center Power Investment Surge Says International Energy Agency
The International Energy Agency warns that electricity demand from data centers will double by 2030, with AI‑driven workloads set to triple their power consumption. Capital spending by the five largest tech firms topped $400 billion in 2025 and is projected to...
How AI Is Creating New Intersecting Opportunity Points for Fiber
The 2026 FiberConnect trade show highlights fiber’s expanding role beyond consumer broadband, focusing on data‑center needs driven by AI workloads. Industry forecasts indicate roughly 92,000 route miles of new fiber must be built to connect existing and emerging data centers....
Truvista Snaps up City of Commerce, Ga.’s Telecom Network
Truvista Fiber has agreed to purchase the City of Commerce, Georgia’s municipal fiber network, which currently serves only business customers. The company will assume ownership, upgrade the infrastructure and keep service uninterrupted while evaluating a residential rollout. The acquisition follows...
PODCAST: Axyom.Core Gives Wireless Operators a New 5G Core Upgrade Path
Axyom.Core introduced a flexible 5G core upgrade path aimed at both Tier 1 and regional wireless operators. The offering gains urgency after Microsoft announced the phase‑out of its Affirmed Networks portfolio, leaving carriers without a key 4G/5G platform. Axyom.Core’s solution supports...
U.S. Hyperscalers Shift Market Build-Out Targets to the Midwest and Texas
U.S. hyperscalers are redirecting data‑center build‑outs toward Texas and the Midwest, with more than half of new capacity expected in these regions by the end of 2025. Amazon announced a $15 billion investment for 2.4 GW of capacity in northern Indiana, while...
Quantifi Photonics Focuses on Scalability as AI Drives Optical Interconnect Growth
Quantifi Photonics is tackling a looming bottleneck in AI‑driven data‑center growth by scaling manufacturing test for optical interconnects. Analysts forecast the market could ship 1 billion units annually by 2028, but current test setups are costly and slow. The company’s 100 G...
Credo and Molex Shore up Their CPO Positions
Credo and Molex are strengthening their co‑packaged optics (CPO) capabilities through proposed transactions with DustPhotonics and Teraverse, respectively. The moves aim to broaden each company’s product portfolio and capture a larger share of the fast‑growing CPO market. In parallel, Openreach...
Building Broadband: Brightspeed Completes 60% Fiber Build in Illinois; C Spire Completes Mississippi Capital Projects Fund to Expand Broadband
A wave of broadband investments is reshaping mid‑size and rural markets across the United States. Brightspeed reports its Illinois fiber build is 60% complete, covering 31,000 locations and backed by $3.2 million of BEAD funds. C Spire finished its Mississippi Capital Projects...