OIF Closes Q3 Member Meeting with Critical Implementation Agreements for High-Speed Networks

More than 200 member company representatives gather as members approve CMIS-LT and C-CMIS 1.5 IAs

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OIF, where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done, today announced the approval of two Implementation Agreements (IAs) following its Q3 2026 Technical and Market Awareness & Education (MA&E) Committees Meeting, held Aug. 10–13 in Montréal, Québec, Canada.

The meeting drew more than 200 member company representatives, including many first-time attendees, reflecting the growing importance and urgency of OIF’s work as the industry races to build faster, denser and more energy-efficient networks for AI and other data-intensive applications. It also featured guest speaker Jimmy Yu, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group.

Members approved a new IA and an update to an existing IA addressing foundational requirements for reliable, multi-vendor networking: optimizing signal performance across high-speed host interfaces and consistently managing coherent optical modules.

Without common implementation approaches in these areas, system vendors and network operators face greater integration complexity, longer qualification cycles and increased deployment risk. The new IAs provide the detailed technical agreements needed to accelerate interoperable implementations across the ecosystem.

“The energy and engagement in Montréal made this an exceptionally productive meeting,” said Karl Bois, OIF Technical Committee Vice Chair (Broadcom Inc.). “The industry is moving incredibly fast, and the work required to keep interoperability at the center of that progress is difficult and detailed. Our members are doing that hard work—bringing expertise from across the ecosystem, working through complex technical issues and reaching the consensus needed to deliver implementable solutions. The two IAs announced demonstrate the impact of that collaboration, giving the industry practical, interoperable approaches to critical challenges in link training and coherent module management.”

New Implementation Agreements

CMIS Out-of-Band Link Training (CMIS-LT) IA

The new CMIS-LT IA supplements the Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) by defining standardized out-of-band mechanisms for per-lane and per-direction link training across a module’s host interface.

Link training enables a receiver to request adjustments to signal-shaping parameters at the corresponding transmitter to optimize signal performance. CMIS-LT provides a common method for the transmitter and receiver training functions at each physical link endpoint to exchange the information needed for this process through the CMIS management interface.

This capability becomes increasingly critical as host interface speeds rise and signal margins tighten. By standardizing these interactions, the IA supports more consistent link optimization, reduces implementation differences between vendors and helps ensure reliable performance across high-speed, multi-vendor systems.

Coherent CMIS 1.5 IA

The updated Coherent CMIS (C-CMIS) 1.5 IA extends CMIS to support the consistent management of digital coherent optics (DCO) modules.

C-CMIS defines the additional management registers, Command Data Block messages, Variable Diagnostic Monitoring and coherent-specific functionality required to manage these modules across vendors. Version 1.5 remains focused on 400ZR modules supporting a single 400G Ethernet data path, an eight-lane host interface and a single-lane 400ZR coherent media interface.

As coherent pluggables become more widely deployed directly in routers and switches, a common management approach is essential to simplify integration, support predictable module behavior, and preserve multi-vendor choice. The specification also establishes a management foundation that can be extended to additional DCO module types as coherent applications evolve.

Work Continues Across Key OIF Initiatives

In addition to approving the two IAs, members advanced ongoing work on coherent interfaces, CMIS and Near-Package Optics (NPO). These projects address emerging requirements for greater optical capacity, consistent module management and higher-bandwidth connectivity closer to next-generation switches and xPUs.

The continued progress reflects OIF’s role in anticipating where the industry is heading and developing the interoperable building blocks needed before technologies reach broad deployment.

Industry Perspective from Dell’Oro Group

Invited industry speaker Yu shared his perspective on the optical transport market and the evolving infrastructure requirements being driven by AI.

“I appreciated the opportunity to join OIF members in Montréal and see the organization at work firsthand,” Yu said. “What stood out was not only the depth of the technical discussions, but how actively members engaged across companies and disciplines. OIF brings a high degree of rigor and sophistication to the difficult work of building industry consensus, and its ability to translate that collaboration into interoperable solutions is essential as the industry scales higher-capacity, more efficient networks for the AI era.”

Bringing OIF’s Work to the Industry

OIF members will continue sharing and demonstrating the organization’s work at major industry events throughout the fall:

• China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE 2026), Sept. 9–11, Shenzhen, China: OIF will co-organize an NPO workshop.
• ECOC 2026, Sept. 21–23, Málaga, Spain: A live, multi-vendor interoperability demonstration at booth #2126 will feature 39 OIF member companies showcasing Optical Systems, CEI-448G, CEI-224G, CMIS, Co-Packaging, Energy Efficient Interfaces and other interoperability initiatives. Learn more about OIF at ECOC 2026.
• Ethernet Alliance Technology Exploration Forum (TEF) 2026, Oct. 7–8, Mountain View, Calif.: OIF is an associate sponsor, with OIF experts participating in sessions addressing 448G, AI optical interconnect standards, coherent optics, and test and measurement innovation.
• 2026 OCP Global Summit, Oct. 12–15, San Jose, Calif.: OIF will host the workshop “Enabling an Open, Scalable, Sustainable AI Infrastructure” on Oct. 13, bringing industry experts together to examine the interoperable technologies required to scale next-generation AI infrastructure.
• China Fiber Connect Forum (CFCF) Asia Pacific 2026, Nov. 5-6, Bangkok, Thailand: OIF will present.

OIF’s Q4 2026 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting will take place Nov. 2–6 in Bangkok, Thailand.

For more information or to download OIF Implementation Agreements, visit the OIF Implementation Agreements page.

About OIF

OIF is where the optical networking industry’s interoperability work gets done. With more than 25 years of effecting forward change in the industry, OIF represents the dynamic ecosystem of 180+ industry leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors and test equipment vendors collaborating to develop interoperable electrical, optical and control solutions that directly impact the industry’s ecosystem and facilitate global connectivity in the open network world. Connect with OIF on LinkedIn, on X, on Bluesky and at https://www.oiforum.com/.