From over 300+ exhibitors showcasing the latest technologies to our huge selection of Market Focus sessions and Product Focus presentations, there was plenty to see across the three days of ECOC Exhibition 2023 in Glasgow.

From a model F1 can on Infinera’s booth, to multiple VR headsets, to baristas on one or two of the larger stands and, fittingly, cans of Irn-Bru and Tunnocks bars on others, there was plenty to get excited about.

But what drew the largest crowds were the features that make ECOC Exhibition what it is. The Market Focus theater which was larger and more open this year in response to its demand and popularity, was overflowing throughout the day as presentations from Lightwave Logic, Omdia, Viavi and Cisco.

Innovation – and recognition of that innovation – was found across the ECOC Exhibition halls as companies hosted partners and customers on their booths and the Market and Product focus sessions were continued to draw crowds. The spotlight was centered on the winners of the ECOC Industry Award winners from late morning and into midday though as Michael Lebby, of Lightwave Logic, presented the deserving companies with their trophies.

At Market Focus, Coherent CTO Julie Eng talked to overflowing crowds of spectators about Advances in Components for Datacom and Telecom Transceivers. Her talk, at the midday point, was surrounded by other enticing presentations on the Components/IC/PIC/Fiber topics from her peers including Thorsten Mayer, CEO of Vanguard Automation and Ron Heron, lead technology strategist at Nokia, who spoke about the PON evolution for the next decade.

The Open XR forum will also take place in Product Focus was a major attraction, featuring the latest transceiver specifications, including thermal mechanical form factor and electro-optical characteristics. The symposium also highlighted multivendor use cases.

It was a successful inauguration for the Demo Focus too as attendees got a close up look at the workings of optical network technology.

When talking to the attendees and exhibitors at ECOC Exhibition, there is a common theme amongst people when they talk about why they’re at the event and why it is undoubtedly marked in their calendars each year. “This is one of the prime industry events in the calendar. It is a key opportunity for us to come and present our view on where things are going, our product lines and to meet with our customers and pick up on the important trends and things on the horizon we need to be aware of,” said Thomas Liljeberg, senior director photonic integration at Intel.

EPIC’s Techwatch sessions, which ran through a considerable part of the day, were the highlight of the third day’s Product Focus. Giving attendees further insight into the latest technologies developed and in development, these sessions were a hallmark of the final day of the event.

ECOC Exhibition will be back next year, in Frankfurt, Germany, 23 – 25 September.

Further reading: Industry Awards at ECOC 2023, wileyindustrynews.com, 11 October 2023