NEWSROOM

Spanning 260,000+ m² with 4,000+ exhibitors and nearly 190,000 visitors, the flagship event covered the complete optoelectronics ecosystem.

Within the optical communications domain, the showcase highlighted a broad spectrum of innovations driving next-generation digital infrastructure: 

• High-Speed Modules & Interconnects: Active demonstrations of 800G/1.6T transceivers, 3.2T roadmaps, and emerging architectures including NPO, CPO, LPO, and Silicon Photonics (SiPho).
• All-Optical Infrastructure: Next-generation transmission mediums like hollow-core fiber (HCF) and Layer 0/1 Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) fabrics engineered for ultra-low latency and high energy efficiency.

CIOE 2026 served as a pivotal venue where global operators, cloud providers, hyperscalers, integrators, and solution providers gathered to evaluate how optical technologies will shape next-generation AI infrastructure.

Making its inaugural appearance as an exhibitor at CIOE 2026, UTStarcom operated a dedicated booth in Hall 12. Drawing on decades of deep optical networking expertise, UTStarcom focused its debut on a critical industry frontier: Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) solutions for AI Data Center (AI DC) networking. UTStarcom unveiled the concept prototypes of its OCS platform including the silicon photonics-based UOS64 and MEMS-based MOS64 alongside its in-house SOO Station SDN Controller management platform. Purpose-built for the evolution of AI networks, the solution supports diverse AI DC deployment models, including both scale-up and scale-out architectures.

During the show, UTStarcom Chief Technology Officer Dr. Lingrong Lu guided viewers on a walking tour of the booth in a video interview, detailing UTStarcom’s technological evolution and strategic vision for AI networks:

• UTStarcom’s Heritage & Positioning: Dr. Lu highlighted UTStarcom’s long-standing heritage as a global optical networking specialist, transitioning its robust enterprise and carrier-grade networking expertise toward high-performance computing (HPC) and AI cluster network architectures.
• Products Highlights: She introduced the core products displayed at the booth, including the UOS64 (Silicon Photonics-based OCS), MOS64 (MEMS-based OCS), and the SOO Station SDN controller.
• Downstream Market Shifts: She addressed how scaling AI clusters past traditional copper limits has driven a shift to optical interconnects, where OCS and EPS work together in complementary roles to maximize compute utilization.
• 1–2 Year Industry Opportunities: She highlighted key growth drivers like high-speed transceivers, NPO/CPO, and Silicon Photonics switching fabrics, emphasizing UTStarcom's commitment to advancing SiPho technology as the supply chain matures.

UTStarcom’s inaugural participation in CIOE 2026 marked a key milestone in the company's technical evolution. Throughout the three-day event, the UTStarcom booth saw strong engagement and constructive dialogues with prospective customers, global operators, and key ecosystem partners, confirming strong industry interest in flexible, high-density OCS platforms.

For additional information, check out the CIOE2026 PR at link.

For inquiries regarding our OCS solution, please contact us at sales@utstar.com.