European FTTH Conference 2021 goes virtual, changes dates

April 27, 2021

This will be the second year in a row the FTTH Council Europe’s FTTH Conference will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stephen Hardy

While its U.S. counterpart continues to prep for a live version of its annual show in July, the FTTH Council Europe has decided to convert its FTTH Conference 2021, slated for Berlin, into a virtual event. The dates of the show also have changed, from September 21-23 to September 15-16.

“With just over five months to go to the planned FTTH Conference 2021 in Berlin, it remains unclear when, and in what form, large international conferences and exhibitions will be permitted to run,” the FTTH Council Europe explained in a statement issued today. “Following consultation with multiple stakeholders, we have reached the conclusion that the probability of being able to organize a physical conference in September and offer a successful business outcome for our delegates and sponsors, is extremely low. Even if some conference restrictions were to be lifted by September, the international nature of our event and likely social distancing measures that would be in place, mean there would be great risk that many visitors would not travel, considerably limiting the commercial potential of the event.”

Details of the virtual event will be forthcoming, according to the council, which adds that “the majority of our partners” plan to support the online gathering. Meanwhile, the group reiterated its intentions to hold a live version of the annual conference and exposition next year in Vienna, March 29-31, 2022. The event will return to Berlin March 19-21, 2024, the group added.

This will be the second year in a row the FTTH Council Europe’s FTTH Conference will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, U.S. sibling the Fiber Broadband Association continues to expect to hold its Fiber Connect Conference live in Nashville, TN, July 25-28 (see “Fiber Connect conference moved to Nashville July 2021”).

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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.