Broadband Pulse

Wireless network operators are in an ongoing evolution. Traditional wireless operators are expanding their 5G footprints while exploring new converged wireline/wireless bundles. They are also facing new competition from cable companies that are getting very involved in building out wireless network services to complement broadband.

At the same time, Tier 1 wireless operators like Verizon are finding other avenues to enhance their r...

Whether the focus is on enhancing a network foothold in additional markets, expanding an existing product line, or refocusing on serving a market segment such as fiber-based broadband, vendors and service providers actively pursued new M&A deals to meet these goals.  

PwC noted in its Media and telecommunications: US Deals 2026 outlook that in the second half of 2025, M&A activity “saw a marked uptick” that was “driven by m...

In this podcast, we spoke with Amit Thakar, vice president of signal integrity product marketing at Semtech, about the shift from DSP-based to linear optical architectures and other issues.

About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and...

Since it was founded in 1998, LightRiver has made a name for itself in its ability to consult, commission, automate, and optimize multi-vendor, multi-generational and software-controlled networks. One of the company’s recent highlights is its Prism software product. Prism simplifies the complexities of multi-vendor, multi-generation networks, empowering stakeholders to streamline operations and make informed decisions for future su...

Lightwave’s 21st Diamond Technology Reviews will again recognize innovation in broadband communications, video transmission, and related technologies, featuring a new wave of technologies to address the drive toward 10G and beyond networks.

As a new version of the DTR awards, we will not only likely see a crop of innovations in back office, fiber, software, testing, video distribution, Wi-Fi, and other areas, but we’re also going t...

In the third and final episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show. 

During the third day, we looked at various issues, including: 

• Improving research workflows
• AI’s role in the optical network
• Corning’s new fiber, cable and connectivity solutions
• Legrand’s Chroma Link fiber cabling solution
• Semtech’s new copper and fiber data center innovations
• OFC’s plenary sessions
• Lightwave’s OFC 2...

In the second episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show. 

During the second day, we looked at various issues, including: 

• Rising data center CapEx
• Ciena, Cisco and Nokia unveil new multi-rail optical solutions
• Lightwave’s event: Scaling the AI Data Center: Optical Technologies Redefining Data Center Interconnection

Tune in each day during OFC 2026 for more insights on the optic...

In the first episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show. 

During the first day, we looked at various issues, including: 

• OIF and Ethernet Alliance's interoperability efforts
• The new Optical Scale-up Consortium
• Optica's Optica Executive Forum
• Celebrating the 2026 Lightwave Innovation Reviews Honorees

Tune in each day during OFC 2026 for more insights on the optical industry's key...

Broadcom is taking on the 400-Gig-per-lane optical PAM-for-DSP challenge with its Taurus BCM 83640, optimized for 1.6-T transceiver solutions. 

The 400 gigabit-per-lane (400G/lane) optical PAM-4 DSP is the next-generation technology for high-speed data center connectivity, designed to double the throughput per optical lane compared to current 200G/lane solutions. This advancement is critical for AI infrastructure, enabling 1.6T and...

Upstream traffic on DOCSIS and fiber-based broadband networks continues to rise. The OpenVault Broadband Insights (OVBI) fourth quarter report revealed that investments in higher-speed upstream network plant can pay dividends for fiber and DOCSIS broadband providers. One of the key findings in OVBI’s fourth quarter report was that fiber broadband users consumed more upstream bandwidth than those on a DOCSIS network. As a first-ever...

Blue Stream Fiber, which traces its roots as a traditional cable operator once known as Advanced Cable Communications, has in recent years established itself as a key broadband player in Florida’s market, serving 385,000 residents and 500 communities.

In 2025, the service provider began expanding into the Houston market, marketing its broadband services to HOAs, condominium associations (COAs), developers, and builders. The company...

ATIS is addressing the challenge of open-access fiber networks with its recent debut of the Open Access Network Forum (OANF), a group focused on leveraging real-world deployments and helping the market scale through common APIs and implementation guidance.

Led by industry experts from AT&T and COS Systems, the forum promotes scalable, practical solutions for open-access fiber deployment. OANF serves as a collaborative forum for...

It’s clear that the campus Wi-Fi environment is evolving toward AI-driven operations, mandatory Wi-Fi 6E/7 upgrades, and high-density coverage to support the growth of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and IoT-enabled environments. Industry watchers note that the rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and 7 is crucial to handle increased capacity, lower latency, and higher speeds required by video conferencing and high-density environments. Looking...

Marvell has put itself squarely in the AI race by refocusing its efforts on developing data center products and solutions. One of those key areas is co-packaged optics (CPO). Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) integrates optical components (lasers, photodetectors) directly with electrical processing chips (ASICs) in the same package, overcoming limitations of traditional pluggable modules by drastically shortening signal paths.

Having di...

Ripple Fiber sees an opportunity to address America’s underinvestment in fiber broadband infrastructure. The company, founded by broadband entrepreneur Greg Wilson, views itself as a disruptor in the U.S. fiber broadband market.

In this latest episode, we talked with Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Ripple Fiber, a Charlotte-based independent fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) provider founded in 2021.

Greg leads the company's expansion, whic...

When the FCC cut E-Rate funding for mobile hotspots & school bus Wi-Fi in September 2025, it threatened internet access for millions of students – hitting low-income and rural students hardest and worsening the digital divide. Nearly 20K schools & libraries were counting on more than $27.5 million to ensure children and families stay connected, but now they’ve been left out to dry. 

But Mission Telecom is serving up a solut...

In this new Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to Jared Sonne, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Astound West Region.

During the session, Sonne addressed how Astound Broadband is approaching new opportunities with the government's BEAD program, community and commercial broadband partnerships and its ongoing penetration into the multi-dwelling unit (MDU) market. 

About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, ...

In this latest issue of Building Broadband, we’re tracking new broadband deployments from various providers.

Today, we’re breaking the summary into two parts—highlighting builds for the weeks ending January 16 and January 9.

For the week of January 16, we’re tracking deployments from Comcast, Dobson Fiber, Glo Fiber, Spectrum, STELLAR Broadband and Ziply Fiber.

Then, for the week of January 8, we tracked deployments from Burlington...

Unlike previous generations of Wi-Fi that focused on speed, the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard (IEEE 802.11bn) focuses on enabling Ultra High Reliability (UHR), consistency, and lower latency in real-world, interference-prone environments. 

Broadcom is taking on the Wi-Fi 8 opportunity full force. As AI reshapes how data moves, Broadcom is taking on Wi-Fi 8 with its recently launched BCM4918 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) and two new...