The NPO Standards Industry Summit, co-hosted by IPEC and OIF, concluded in Shenzhen with a consensus on international standards for near-packaged optics (NPO), a development that could reshape the economics of data center interconnects. The agreement, backed by major industry players from China, the US, and Japan, lays the groundwork for scaling NPO technology from niche deployments to mainstream commercial use, addressing the mounting energy and cost pressures of AI-driven computing.
NPO is emerging as a critical solution for SuperPoDs—large-scale computing clusters—as traditional optical modules struggle with power consumption and co-packaged optics (CPO) face hurdles like closed supply chains and complex maintenance. Dr. Zhao Wenyu, Vice Chairman of IPEC and Deputy Director of the Technology and Standards Research Institute of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), explained that NPO offers superior energy efficiency, a favorable trade-off in port density, and strong compatibility with existing pluggable ecosystems. He called on stakeholders to collaborate on NPO standards so the ecosystem evolves from “usable” to “easy-to-use at scale.” This standardization is crucial because it enables interoperability, reduces vendor lock-in, and accelerates adoption across the industry.
The summit’s consensus is more than a technical milestone; it signals a shift in how the industry approaches next-generation optical interconnects. By aligning on international standards, companies can avoid fragmented solutions and drive economies of scale. The joint exhibition at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) underscored this momentum, with vendors from China, the US, and Japan displaying connectors, NPO modules, and switches. The showcase demonstrated high commercial maturity, boosting confidence in an open and prosperous NPO ecosystem.
Industry leaders highlighted concrete progress. Jiang Zhibin, Optical Network Architect at Tencent, noted that as SuperPoDs expand and SerDes data rates increase, optical interconnects will advance toward 6.4T NPO, requiring opto-electronic collaborative design to overcome advanced packaging challenges. Dr. Man Jiangwei, Director of the Advanced Opto-Electronics Laboratory at Huawei, revealed that Huawei has launched the industry’s first high-bandwidth 7.2T NPO product and demonstrated dynamic transmission at the IPEC booth. He emphasized that with built-in light sources and highly integrated silicon photonics chips, the product achieves high bandwidth, reliability, and availability while maintaining low latency, power consumption, and cost.
The implications extend beyond technology. The summit streamlined collaboration paths between standards organizations and the industry chain, laying a foundation for large-scale commercial use. As AI and cloud workloads grow, NPO’s ability to reduce power consumption and cost while maintaining performance could become a competitive differentiator for data center operators. Moreover, the international consensus helps mitigate geopolitical risks by fostering a unified market. With key players like Huawei, Broadcom, and Tencent involved, the NPO ecosystem is poised to accelerate, potentially challenging incumbent solutions and driving innovation across the optical communications sector.
The success of the summit and exposition marks a milestone for the global NPO industry. By reaching a consensus on international standards and showcasing commercial-ready products, the industry has taken a significant step toward widespread adoption. For more information, visit IPEC and OIF.
