Data Center

CommScope, US Conec sign licensing agreement for MDC, future fiber-optic connectors

April 13, 2020

Manufactured with 1.25-mm ferrule technology, the MDC provides 3X the density of a typical LC.

The MDC connector targets high-speed interface requirements.

CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM) and US Conec say they have signed a licensing agreement that will see both companies manufacture very small form factor (VSFF) fiber-optic connectors, starting with the MDC fiber connector. US Conec has developed the MDC for high-speed data center applications.

Manufactured with 1.25-mm ferrule technology, the MDC provides 3X the density of a typical LC. It is incorporated within the QSFP-DD MSA Hardware Specification 5.0 (see "QSFP-DD MSA releases Common Management Interface Specification 4.0 and Hardware Specification 5.0").

The companies believe that establishing CommScope as a second source of the connector will boost use of the MDC.

“The MDC duplex connector ushers in a new era of dual-fiber connectivity by delivering unmatched density, simple insertion/extraction, field configurability, and optimal carrier-grade performance,” said Joe Graham, president of US Conec. “The collaborative effort between US Conec and CommScope opens the door to rapid high-volume deployments with leading-edge connector technology to ensure robust supply chain demands are met.”

“This new, high-density connector format and multi-source agreement with US Conec will enable greater opportunity for innovation by providing a new platform for future connectivity solutions,” added Jamie Birdnow, vice president of market development and advance core technologies.

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.