Experts will address 448G, AI optical interconnects, coherent optics and test innovation at TEF 2026, followed by a half-day workshop on open, scalable and sustainable AI infrastructure at the OCP Global Summit.

OIF will bring its work advancing interoperable electrical, optical and management solutions for AI infrastructure to two major industry events in October: the Ethernet Alliance Technology Exploration Forum (TEF) 2026, Oct. 7–8 in Mountain View, Calif., and the 2026 OCP Global Summit, Oct. 12–15 in San Jose, Calif.

Across the two events, OIF experts will address some of the most critical challenges facing next-generation AI infrastructure, from 448Gbps electrical signaling and energy-efficient optical interconnects to coherent optics, test and measurement, packaging and network management.

“AI infrastructure is compressing the timeline for innovation across electrical, optical and management interfaces,” said Nathan Tracy, OIF President (TE Connectivity). “These events give OIF an important opportunity to share the technical work underway, engage with the broader industry ecosystem and help drive alignment around interoperable solutions that can scale.”

OIF at Ethernet Alliance TEF 2026

As an associate sponsor of TEF 2026, OIF will bring experts to four panel discussions across the two-day technical program, sharing perspectives from the organization’s work in high-speed electrical signaling, AI optical interconnects, coherent networking and testing.

448G Requires a System Design Paradigm Shift
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Time: 10:50 a.m. PT
Presenter: Cathy Liu, OIF Board Member (Broadcom Inc.), will participate in a panel discussion

Developing AI Optical Interconnect Standards on the AI Timeline
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 9:05 a.m. PT
Presenter: Jeff Hutchins, OIF Physical & Link Layer Working Group Energy Efficient Interfaces (EEI) Vice Chair (Ranovus), will participate in a panel discussion

Coherent Optics in AI Infrastructure
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 10:50 a.m. PT
Presenter: Tom Issenhuth, OIF Market Awareness & Education Committee Co-Chair (Huawei), will participate in a panel discussion

Test and Measurement Innovations for 448G
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 3:35 p.m. PT
Presenter: John Calvin, Keysight Technologies, will participate in a panel discussion

OIF Workshop at the 2026 OCP Global Summit

OIF will host a half-day workshop co-located with the OCP Global Summit, bringing together OIF leaders and industry experts to examine the interoperable technologies needed to support rapidly scaling AI infrastructure.

Enabling an Open, Scalable, Sustainable AI Infrastructure
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Time: 1–5 p.m. PT
Location: San Jose Convention Center, Room LL20BCD

The workshop will explore OIF’s work across several critical areas of AI infrastructure, including 448G-per-lane electrical interfaces, energy-efficient interconnects, coherent optics and optical network management. Sessions will examine the technical challenges associated with scaling AI systems, approaches including near-package optics (NPO), co-packaged optics (CPO) and retimed transmitter linear receiver (RTLR), the role of coherent optics – from the package through data center interconnect – and the importance of multi-vendor interoperability, including real-world demonstrations.

Speakers will include Nathan Tracy, OIF President (TE Connectivity); Fotini Karinou, Director of Optical Technologies & Architecture, Microsoft; Yi Tang, OIF Board Member and Physical & Link Layer Working Group Electrical Vice Chair (Cisco); Cathy Liu, OIF Board Member (Broadcom Inc.); Mark Filer, Architect – Physical Networking, Oracle; Alan Weckel, Founder and Technology Analyst, 650 Group; Jeff Hutchins, OIF Physical & Link Layer Working Group Energy Efficient Interfaces Vice Chair (Ranovus); Sam Kocsis, OIF Technical Committee Chair (Amphenol); Ian Betty, OIF Board Member (Ciena); Steven Hand, OIF Board Member (Nokia); Jeffery Maki, OIF Vice President and Physical Layer User Group Working Group Chair (Hewlett Packard Enterprise); and Tom Issenhuth, OIF Market Awareness & Education Committee Co-Chair (Huawei Technologies).

More information about the OIF workshop, including the full speaker lineup and agenda, and the 2026 OCP Global Summit, is available here.

About OIF

OIF is where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done. With more than 25 years of effecting forward change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 180+ industry leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors collaborating to develop interoperable electrical, optical and control solutions that directly impact the industry’s ecosystem and facilitate global connectivity in the open network world. Connect with OIF on LinkedIn, on X, on Bluesky and at https://www.oiforum.com/.

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“These events give OIF an important opportunity to share the technical work underway, engage with the broader industry ecosystem and help drive alignment around interoperable solutions that can scale.” - Nathan Tracy, OIF President (TE Connectivity)