Nokia, Calix, Ciena, Plume, Benu Networks awarded at Fiber Connect 2022

The Fiber Broadband Association announced the winners of the Fiber Connect 2022 Proof of Concept (PoC) Showcase. The PoC Showcase featured six demonstrations from Fiber Broadband Association member companies and their partners that exemplified why fiber is the most robust, reliable, and best-suited broadband technology to close the digital divide and support innovative applications.

The three award-winning PoCs include:

• Most Innovative Award – presented to Nokia for its “Fiber for Our Broadband Future Now” PoC. In this demo, developed by Nokia Bell Labs, Nokia achieved the first 100Gb/s broadband technology in the U.S. using 100G PON technology. The PoC showed how fiber capacity increases from GPON to XGS-PON and beyond simply by adding wavelengths to a single strand of glass. It explored new services and use cases such as ultra-high-speed business services, 5G, and 6G transport, that can converge onto a high-speed fiber connection to spark new opportunities for consumers, businesses, and communities. It showed on live equipment how with additional wavelengths and new technologies we can unlock the capacity of the networks that we build today for the benefit of generations to come.
• Best Community Impact Award – presented to Calix for its “Deliver a Superior Subscriber Experience in a Rapidly Changing Environment” PoC. With $1 billion invested over 11 years into the industry’s leading end-to-end platforms, broadband service providers can seamlessly layer value-added subscriber services on top of their managed Wi-Fi offerings. These new services are designed to meet subscribers’ evolving demands. This PoC effectively illustrated the value of advanced network security, connected home camera services, advanced parental controls, AI-powered social media monitoring, as well as damage protection for the dozens of smart devices in most households.
• Game Changer Award – presented to Ciena, Plume, and Benu Networks for their “Supporting Cities to Get Smarter and More Connected with an Open and Scalable Residential Broadband Solution” PoC. Together, the companies demonstrated how a city can implement a next-generation network using an open, optimized, and highly scalable cloud-based solution. The PoC supports city communication requirements to become smarter and more efficient while providing high-capacity broadband services for schools, libraries, and residences in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

“The Proof of Concept Showcase was an exciting validation of the opportunities and possibilities that fiber creates,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “Amazing things come from collaboration, so it was great to see our members and their partners come together to present the next wave of innovations that fiber can support. I congratulate the winners of this year’s showcase, and all six of the PoCs should be applauded for an excellent demonstration and job well done.”

All PoC demonstrations were evaluated live at Fiber Connect 2022 by industry analysts. The three PoC awards were presented during general sessions at the event on June 15 in Nashville, Tenn.

CT Bureau