The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is organizing the
IEC TC86 and ITU-T SG15 Joint Workshop on “Standardization Roadmap for Cabled Multi-Core Fibre and Optical Network Sensing Technologies” in the afternoon of
17 October 2025 from 14h30 to 17h30 CEST at ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This workshop will be held in conjunction with the ITU-T SG15 meeting taking place from 13-24 October 2025. Remote participation will be provided for the workshop.
In the coming decade, optical submarine systems are projected to demand data transmission capacities exceeding one petabit per cable. This surge is driven by a diverse array of data-intensive technologies and applications, ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to security solutions, autonomous driving innovations, telemedicine advancements, and beyond, all underscoring the critical role of distributed data center networks. To meet these evolving demands, groundbreaking optical network technologies such as space division multiplexing (SDM), massive parallelism architectures, reduced latency protocols, and other cutting-edge approaches are becoming necessary.
Recognizing this shift in technological requirements, new standardization efforts have commenced. Notably, March 2025 marked a pivotal milestone with ITU-T SG15 initiating official activities on multi-core fiber featuring standardized cladding diameters. Concurrently under investigation are international standards for optical network sensing across both submarine and terrestrial links; a promising frontier that holds transformative potential.
This workshop serves as a platform to explore the future trajectory of these standardization initiatives while addressing emerging market trends shaping next-generation optical cabled fibers and network sensing technologies. By fostering collaboration among multiple standardization bodies worldwide, this event aims not only to accelerate progress but also to lay the foundation for an effective global ecosystem capable of meeting tomorrow’s connectivity challenges head-on.
Participation in the workshop is open to ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions and to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU who wishes to contribute to the work. This includes individuals who are also members of international, regional and national organizations. Participation in the workshop is free of charge
See detailed steps to register here Register here
Remote Participation: Connect to the MyWorkspace platform using the same ITU user account with which you registered for the meeting. You can launch the remote session by clicking the JOIN button from 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Programme coming soon
14:30 - 14:35
| Welcome Remarks
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| 14:35 - 15:50 | Session 1: Toward Multi-Core Fibre Eco-System
- Alexis Carbo Meseguer, Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) : "Trends in Submarine Networks and Expectations for Multi-Core Fiber Deployment"
- Vincent Ferretti, Senior Standards Manager, Global Technical & Industry Standards, Corning Inc.: “Potential Benefits of MCF for Datacenter Applications“
- Lei Shen, YOFC: "Development, application and commercialization progress of SDM in China"
- Patrick Tourreau, Director of Engineering, Photon Kinetics: “Multi-Core Fibre Production Measurements: Some Practical Considerations”
- Takashi Matsui, Group Leader, Access Network Service Systems Laboratories, NTT Inc.: "Standardization Activities in ITU-T on Multi-Core Fiber Technologies"
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15:50 - 17:05
| Session 2: Network Sensing and Standardization
- Paulo Serra, Head of Innovation Management, ANACOM: "Signals from the Deep - Submarine Cables for Safety, Science, and Security"
- Yoshifumi Wakisaka, NTT Inc.: "Applications and expectations for terrestrial network sensing"
- Werner Daum, Convenor, SC86C WG2, IEC: "IEC standardisation activities for distributed network sensor technology"
- Jun Shan Wey, Associate Fellow, Verizon: "Network sensing standardization in ITU-T SG15"
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