Blog

As fiber networks continue to evolve to meet the demands of next-generation connectivity, a new data security issue has emerged. The security of modern cryptographic systems relies on the computational complexity of intractable mathematical problems, for which it takes an impractically long time to solve using classical computers. Take two key exchange algorithms as examples. […]

As cable networks evolve to meet the demands of next-generation connectivity, a quiet transformation is unfolding within the fibers that carry our data. Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) is emerging as a transformative technology that enables real-time environmental awareness, infrastructure monitoring and intelligent network optimization — all using the existing fiber infrastructure. This sensing revolution […]

The optical communications industry is undergoing a profound transformation. As bandwidth demands surge — driven by AI workloads, cloud-scale data centers and global satellite connectivity — coherent optics has emerged as the foundational technology enabling this next wave of innovation. From long-haul networks to metro, access, data center and even space-based links, coherent optics is […]

One of the key roles that CableLabs plays for our member operators and the vendor community is tracking trends in key areas of the broadband industry. Because the networks operated by our members are predominantly fiber, we are always keeping a close eye on the optical industry — but this year is proving to be […]

The 2022 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC)—the hub of the optical industry and the premier event in fiber communications and networking—will take place March 6–10, 2022, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. This year, the event will be presented in a hybrid format that offers both in-person and virtual […]

The cable industry has been well served by its extensive fiber deployment that took place during the initial hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) buildout. Even though cable operators have answered capacity demand through fiber node-splits in specific high demand scenarios, only recently have operators embarked on deeper-fiber roll-out strategies as part of a comprehensive long-term evolution plan. […]

Forward error correction (FEC) has been a powerful tool in the cable industry for many years. In fact, perhaps the single biggest performance improvement in the DOCSIS 3.1 specifications was achieved by changing the FEC being used in previous versions – Reed-Soloman (RS) – to a new coding scheme with improved performance: low-density parity check […]

A brand new innovation, Full Duplex Coherent Optics uses the same wavelength, in two different directions, over the same fiber at the same time. As a result, Full Duplex Coherent Optics technology supports over 200 times more capacity compared to non-coherent digital transmission over a single fiber. This makes Coherent Optics technology well suited for deployment in […]