LightCounting Market Research’s Post

The rise of distributed AI factories is creating a new "scale-across" networking paradigm, where multiple data centers operate as a single AI cluster, dramatically increasing demand for high-capacity optical interconnects. Dell’Oro forecasts the IP-over-DWDM (IPoDWDM) market to grow at a 27% CAGR, surpassing US$7 billion by 2030, while ZR/ZR+ coherent optical pluggables are expected to expand at a 29% CAGR, becoming a foundational technology for AI infrastructure. The broader Disaggregated WDM market is projected to grow at a 17% CAGR, approaching US$13 billion by 2030, driven by both hyperscalers and telecom operators. This reflects a strategic shift in which optical transport evolves from a connectivity layer into a critical enabler of AI scale, supporting geographically distributed GPU clusters, sovereign AI initiatives, and next-generation cloud architectures. For operators, data center providers, and infrastructure investors, optical DCI is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments of the AI infrastructure value chain. Link: https://lnkd.in/gjwJAzQB

🚀 The Optical Evolution: Demystifying C-Band, Extended C-Band & Super C-Band As AI, cloud computing, and high-capacity DCI networks continue to grow, operators are seeking new ways to increase fiber capacity without deploying additional fiber infrastructure. 📡 Optical Spectrum Evolution 🔹 Conventional C-Band ~1530–1565 nm ~4.4 THz usable spectrum 🔸 Extended C-Band ~1528–1567 nm ~4.8 THz usable spectrum 🔺 Super C-Band ~1524–1572 nm ~6.0 THz usable spectrum ❓ Why Extend the Optical Spectrum? ✅ Increase network capacity without laying new fiber ✅ Support 400G, 800G, 1.2T and future 1.6T coherent services ✅ Improve spectral efficiency and fiber utilization ✅ Reduce long-term CapEx compared with new fiber deployments ✅ Enable scalable AI, Cloud, DCI and Long-Haul transport networks 🌐 OEM Adoption Leading optical vendors actively supporting Extended C-Band and Super C-Band architectures included. These solutions leverage advanced coherent optics, wideband EDFAs, next-generation ROADMs, and enhanced DSP technologies to unlock additional optical spectrum and maximize fiber capacity. 🔮 Bottom Line The future of optical networking is not only about increasing bit rates—it is also about expanding the available optical spectrum. More Spectrum → More Channels → More Capacity As operators prepare for AI-driven traffic growth, Extended C-Band, Super C-Band, and eventually C+L architectures are becoming critical tools for scaling transport networks efficiently. #OpticalNetworking #DWDM #FiberOptics #CBand #SuperCBand #ExtendedCBand #CoherentOptics #ROADM #800G #1600G #DataCenterInterconnect #Telecommunications #Cisco #Nokia #Ciena #Infinera #Huawei

Semiconductor Market Crash Erases $1.3 Trillion: AI Demand, Supply Chain Implications for Telecom Infrastructure 📰Original Source: ETTelecom A major U.S. semiconductor stock sell-off has wiped out approximately $1.3 trillion... Read more : https://lnkd.in/dDt4PmPX

(Source Factory Ready Stock Supply) #ReadyStockOpticalFiberAvailableContactMeForDetails Fiber Optic Daily Snapshot | Jun 3, 2026 Latest Market Reference / Trend: G.652D: available at a competitive market level G657A1-245: price stable, negotiable by volume G.657A2-245: available below current market price G657A2-200: available below current market price Today’s Market Message: Fiber is no longer just a cable. It is becoming the new engine of AI, cloud, and global digital infrastructure. Today’s Fiber & Cable Highlight: A major signal from China’s optical fiber industry is the acceleration of multicore fiber commercialization. Recent reports say YOFC, together with China Mobile and Sun Yat-sen University, successfully deployed a 35 km multicore fiber submarine cable line in Zhuhai, described as the world’s longest and China’s first multicore fiber submarine cable line. This matters because multicore fiber is no longer only a laboratory concept — it is moving toward real network scenarios where higher capacity and limited physical space both matter. Another industry signal comes from China Telecom, Guangdong Telecom, and Huawei. In March 2026, they completed what was reported as the industry’s first multicore-fiber-based cross-city AI computing interconnection field verification, connecting AI data centers across Guangzhou and Shenzhen over 409.61 km. This shows multicore fiber is being tested not only for transmission capacity, but also for future AI computing networks. Why It Matters: The future of optical networks will not be defined by simply laying more cables. It will be defined by how much more capacity can be unlocked inside the same physical space. Multicore fiber gives the industry a new direction: more cores, more capacity, more scalability — without simply expanding the cable footprint. Closing Line: The next generation of networks will not just be faster. They will be denser, smarter, and built to carry the weight of AI. #FiberOptic #OpticalFiber #FiberCable #MulticoreFiber #AIInfrastructure #DataCenter #SubmarineCable #OpticalCommunication

GigaDevice has launched GD32E512 and GD32E252 MCUs for optical modules, expanding its optical communication portfolio. The new chips target high-speed and low-speed applications, supporting AI data centers, telecom networks, and next-generation optical interconnect technologies. GigaDevice Semiconductor Inc. #opticalcommunication #AI #datacenter #siliconphotonics #semiconductor #telecommunications #network #LatestElectronicsNews https://lnkd.in/g-yg8x7d

ACON OPTICS (TWSE: 6820) Strengthens AI High-Speed Interconnect Portfolio with CPO and 1.6T Connectivity Technologies at COMPUTEX 2026 TAIPEI, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ACON OPTICS (TWSE: 6820), a leading provider of advanced optical connectivity solutions, showcased its latest innovations in AI optical interconnect technologies at COMPUTEX 2026 under the theme "Shaping Next-Generation Interconnect." ACON OPTICS showcases its AI-Scale CPO Connectivity Solutions, featuring high-precision, high-density Fiber Array Units (FAU), detachable optical connectivity technologies, MPO connectivity products, and advanced optical interconnect solutions designed for next-generation AI infrastructure and CPO architectures. The company presented a comprehensive portfolio spanning CPO Connectivity Solutions, Optical Connectivity Solutions, and AI Data Center Interconnect Solutions, including high-precision, high-density Fiber Array Units (FAU), Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) connectivity technologies, MicroLED CPO optical interconnect solutions, MPO connectivity products, 1.6T transceivers, and high-speed AOC, AEC, ACC, and DAC solutions. As generative AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and hyperscale AI data centers continue to drive unprecedented growth in data traffic and computing demands, optical interconnect technologies are becoming a critical foundation for next-generation AI infrastructure. ACON OPTICS continues to invest in high-speed optical transmission, precision optical alignment, and high-density optical connectivity technologies to address the evolving requirements of AI networking and computing architectures. Advancing CPO Connectivity for AI Infrastructure At COMPUTEX 2026, ACON OPTICS highlighted its high-precision, high-density FAU and detachable optical connectivity solutions designed for emerging CPO architectures. These technologies demonstrate the company's expertise in precision optical alignment, detachable optical connectivity, optical coupling, fiber array design, and advanced manufacturing capabilities, enabling scalable and reliable optical connectivity for next-generation AI systems. The company's CPO solutions attracted strong interest from key players across the global AI ecosystem, including NVIDIA, Intel, Cisco, Lightmatter, Ayar Labs, AWS, NTT, HPE, MediaTek, and ASE. Discussions focused on future optical interconnect architectures, AI networking requirements, and the evolution of high-bandwidth optical connectivity for AI infrastructure. Showcasing MicroLED CPO Innovation A major highlight of the exhibition was ACON OPTICS' joint demonstration of a MicroLED CPO optical interconnect solution developed in collaboration with Brillink and PlayNitride. The demonstration combined MicroLED light source technology, advanced optical packaging, and high-density optical interconnect architectures to showcase the potential of next-generation optical communication technologies for AI computing platforms. The collaboration further un...

It is no secret that an AI label creates investor hysteria in the current market, and apparently, STM has realised that its data centre revenue guidance was mediocre. In what could be a coincidence, STM had to give its Datacenter forecast a PR upgrade mid-quarter. Apparently, this was too important to delay until the investor call in July. In a press release today, ST upgrades its data centre revenue expectations from "nicely above 500M$" in 2026 (used 500M$ since I don't know how much "nicely above" is) to 1B$. Also, the 2027 number was doubled. Apparently, STM has high confidence in its expectations. The Datacenter statement accounted for less than 9% of the press release, while the legal boilerplate accounted for 81%.

I have seen a lot in my time in the Semiconductor industry, but not this! In my post of May 28th, I wrote about the obsession of Hybrid semiconductor companies with looking like AI datacenter companies, even though hybrids, on average, derive very little revenue from the Datacenter. I showed this data centre revenue model, which was based on the statements from the hybrid semiconductor companies In 2025, only 3.6% of revenue came from data centres, and even though it has grown nicely, it is only 5.8% in Q1-2026. This is not sufficient to justify the corporate candyfloss that was served at the investor calls. On average, the hybrids mentioned AI or Data center more than 28 times. This is like calling a mayo company with a truffle mayo for a truffle company. It is no secret that an AI label creates investor hysteria in the current market, and apparently, STM has realised that its data centre revenue guidance was mediocre. In what could be a coincidence, STM had to give its Datacenter forecast a PR upgrade mid-quarter. Apparently, this was too important to delay until the investor call in July. In a press release today, ST upgrades its data centre revenue expectations from "nicely above 500M$" in 2026 (I used 500M$ since I don't know how much "nicely above" is) to 1B$. Also, the 2027 number was doubled. Apparently, STM has high confidence in its expectations. The Datacenter statement accounted for less than 9% of the press release, while the legal boilerplate accounted for 81%. Some of the hybrids are more desperate than others. You can read more about the AI ambitions of the hybrid semiconductor companies here: https://lnkd.in/eC7SaMEE #Semiconductor #AIBoom #CorporateCandyfloss

Today's read: Nokia Boosts #Optical Networking Production Capacity for #AI Infrastructure in #Pennsylvania 📣 🔗 Read the full story at https://lnkd.in/gKYYq7nB Never miss a beat in telecoms. Catch the latest news on The Fast Mode 🚀 Nokia for service providers