LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud-scale computing drive rising demand for bandwidth and energy efficiency, the 2026 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition (OFC) will convene the global optical networking community at the Los Angeles Convention Center. OFC is expected to draw 16,000 attendees from 90 countries and will feature more than 700 exhibiting companies, plus 130 invited and tutorial speakers, and 45 presentations across three Exhibition theaters, 15–19 March 2026 (Exhibition: 17–19 March).

The OFC exhibit floor brings the full optical ecosystem together in one place, giving attendees the opportunity to evaluate solutions side by side and connect directly with the teams turning innovation into deployed infrastructure.

Hundreds of global brands and innovators will showcase the technologies defining AI-era data centers and networks — from co-packaged optics (CPO) and optical I/O for scale-up systems, to advances in 1.6T and 3.2T coherent transmission, AI/ML-optimized photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and 800G and 1.6T validation and test platforms accelerating deployment. Highlights also include AI-enabled network automation and emerging fiber innovations such as hollow-core fiber targeting lower latency and improved efficiency — all reinforcing the industry’s push for higher performance and reduced power costs for data movement.

Exhibitors include 1Finity, Acacia, Alphawave Semi, Amphenol Communications Solutions, Ayar Labs, Celestial AI, Ciena, Cisco, Coherent, Corning, HyperLight Corp, ID Quantique, Intel, Keysight, Lightmatter, Lumentum, Marvell, nEye.ai, NVIDIA, Nokia, POET Technologies Inc., Senko Advanced Components, SILITH, Single Quantum, SUNA, VIAVI Solutions and more, reflecting the breadth of the supply chain driving next-generation networks.

“Optical is no longer ‘behind the scenes’ — it is the connective infrastructure enabling performance, efficiency, power savings and scalable growth across the AI-driven digital economy,” said OFC General Chair Tetsuya Hayashi, Sumitomo Electric. “OFC brings the ecosystem together to align on what is ready today, what comes next and how innovation moves from roadmap to real-world deployment.”

“As the industry moves from 800G toward 1.6T, the challenge is no longer just peak throughput — it’s performance per watt, interoperability and deployment readiness,” said Ian Redpath, Research Director, Omdia, a global technology research and advisory leader. “OFC’s exhibit floor provides a practical view of that transition, bringing together the component, systems and test communities so the market can move faster from roadmap to real-world implementation.”

Show floor theaters spotlight market, operator and data center priorities
In addition to exhibits, OFC features three show floor theaters with presentations by experts from major global brands and key industry organizations. Programming includes Market Watch, the Network Operator Summit and the Data Center Summit, offering perspectives on market dynamics, operator priorities and emerging technologies.

Registration and information
For registration, exhibitor details and the schedule-at-a-glance, visit OFCConference.org.

About OFC
The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is the world’s largest event for optical communications and networking professionals — a showcase for the trends and technologies that impact how the world communicates and transacts. It is the locus for scientific visionaries and the industry’s biggest brands to make connections and move business forward. For more than 50 years, participants from all corners of the globe have been drawn to OFC by its high-impact, peer-reviewed research, dynamic business programs and the world’s largest in-person exhibition for optical communications.

OFC is co-sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc) and the IEEE Photonics Society and co-sponsored and managed by Optica.

OFC takes place 15 – 19 March 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California, USA. Learn more at OFCConference.org or follow @OFC-Conference on LinkedIn and X (#OFC26).

Media Contact
media@ofcconference.org 

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3469709e-e041-4e35-8b70-e9ffad18049d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/899cbf16-8078-4901-83e1-213d06a33e30

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fdaafaf-0fd9-4c86-bcbb-18e4836218e0