OFC Management issued a statement yesterday reiterating that they intend to hold the optical communications conference and exposition March 8-12 in San Diego as planned. The statement came in the wake of further defections by major technology companies out of concerns surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Ciena and Lumentum were the first Western technology companies to announce that they had cancelled plans to participate in the show (see “Ciena, Lumentum pull out of OFC 2020 due to coronavirus concerns”). Since then, Acacia Communications, Fujitsu Network Communications, Infinera, OFS, and Viavi Solutions have revealed similar decisions.
“While we were looking forward to attending OFC 2020, the premier optical networking conference, and showcasing our latest innovations, our top priority is the health and safety of our employees, and our concern extends to the welfare and well-being of our customers, partners and others in our community,” said Tom Fallon, Infinera CEO, via a press statement. “We appreciate the event organizer’s action plans to lessen the coronavirus risk, but our decision not to attend this year is in line with other precautionary measures we have implemented to reduce the threat of exposure to our employees and mitigate the impact on our ability to serve our customers.”
“We have heard from many exhibitors that they are committed to attend OFC and we thank them for their continued engagement. OFC Management respects the decision of exhibitors who decided to cancel their participation due to the impact of the Coronavirus and look forward to partnering with them in the future,” read a statement OFC Management issued late in the day February 26.
“OFC Management is closely monitoring the ongoing potential impact to you (our attendees, exhibitors and vendors) and is following guidance from worldwide health organizations and experts. We are fully committed to taking appropriate precautions to provide a safe and healthy environment for all attendees,” the statement continued.
Show management also is encouraging Chinese nationals who were scheduled to speak during the conference but can’t attend to videotape their presentations for playback during their appointed time slots in San Diego. Poster session graphics from organizations who can’t make the show will be available via the event app.
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[Editor's Note: This story has been updated from the original to include OFS among the list of companies not going to OFC 2020.]
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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