Fiber Focus

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
  • 5.0 (4)
  • TECHNOLOGY

Fiber Focus is the podcast from Sumitomo Electric Lightwave that explores the technology, tools, and techniques behind modern fiber optic networks. From product innovations to practical insights for data center and on-prem environments, each episode helps industry professionals stay connected to what matters most.

Episodes

  1. OCT 6

    Why Fiber Optics is the Best Career You’ve Never Heard Of

    “This will be the field I retire. I love it. I’d never heard of it before.” After serving in the U.S. Navy, Andrew Degidio embarked on a new career journey in telecom. He got his start as a field service engineer without ever laying eyes on a fusion splicing machine, and now he is Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s senior technical manager focusing on fusion splicer development and support. In this episode of Fiber Focus, Andrew shares his perspective on how well the military prepares people for stable, well-paying industry roles. Beyond the training, troubleshooting, and hands-on experience that Andrew gained in the Navy, his demonstrated willingness to learn and rise to challenges primed him for industry success. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksBe Part of a Global Company: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careersFusion Splice Training and Certification: https://fiber-aws.pearson.com/fusion-splicing-micro-registerAndrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-degidio-094bb896/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

    12 min

  2. SEP 22

    A Future in Fiber

    Meet Lauren Deloatch. She was the marketing director for a golf club when she was recruited by Sumitomo Electric Lightwave nearly 10 years ago. Since then, Lauren’s contributions to the telecom industry have included the free, two-day Fusion Splicing Certificate Course that she developed in collaboration with AWS and Pearson. Join us for an engaging conversation about Lauren’s career-pivoting experience, telecom’s widespread growth, and a rapidly accelerating demand for new industry workers. She encourages people of all backgrounds and education levels to consider getting their start (and earning a livable wage) as a fusion splicing technician. Hands-on training and certification are easily accessible first steps. Upward mobility opportunities are plentiful. Soft skills, attention to detail, reliability, and a willingness to learn and adapt are especially valuable traits during this transformative era in telecom. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Helpful LinksFusion Splice Training and Certification: https://fiber-aws.pearson.com/fusion-splicing-micro-registerBe Part of a Global Company: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careersFiber Broadband Association (FBA) Education: https://fiberbroadband.org/education-and-certification/fba-optic-path/Fiber Optic Association (FOA) Approved Training: https://www.thefoa.org/foa_aprv.htmLauren on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ldeloatch/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwaveave - YouTube

    11 min

  3. SEP 8

    Next-Generation Data Center Network Design Automation

    Fiber Focus welcomes Dwayne Holst to this episode for a preview of the next breakthrough in data center network design. A data center optical communications researcher with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, Dwayne is currently working on “digital twinning,” creating network simulations that enable data center operators to view and optimize a virtual version of their complete physical networks before ordering a single part. The roadmap for this capability is full of promise; next-generation data center network design automation will be able to generate hyperaccurate bills of material, output construction work orders for network builds, send testing instructions for human verification, and analyze network performance for learning and improvement. Not since the commercialization of electronic data automation (EDA) in the 1980s has there been such a game changer in interconnect automation. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Helpful LinksHistory of Computer-Aided Design Tools: www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/computer-aided-design-tools-developed-for-ics/Dwayne on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dwayneholstMeredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwaveave - YouTube

    11 min

  4. AUG 18

    The Best-Case Scenarios for Air-Blown Fiber®

    In the 30+ years that air-blown fiber (ABF) has been deployed in North America, industry results show that it is the ideal installation technology in specific scenarios. Yuko Agano, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product manager supporting air-blown fiber and cable technologies, returns to this episode of Fiber Focus to outline installations where ABF can deliver better installation speed, labor savings, and future-readiness than traditional deployment methods – especially for network operators who place value on being able to keep their facilities up and running without disruption during network expansions and upgrades. Is ABF uniquely positioned to deliver the strongest ROI for your next project? Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s engineers can help. Tune in to this conversation to learn more and check out the resources in our show notes. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksContact Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber®:https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/futureflex-air-blown-fiber-solutions/Yuko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-agano-504927106/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

    9 min

  5. AUG 4

    Have it Your Way! Customer-Driven Product and Solutions

    Sumitomo Electric Lightwave offers a broad portfolio of leading-edge connectivity products and solutions, but how does the company respond when customers need a unique solution for their network challenges that industry manufacturers are not yet prepared to meet? In this episode of Fiber Focus, Josh Seawell, our director of product management, shares stories of recent customer collaborations that have sparked innovative products and solutions. These new developments often evolve to benefit customers far beyond the initial collaboration. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksContact Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/Regional Sales Managers: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/regional-managers/Tradeshow Schedule: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/tradeshow-schedule/Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

    12 min

  6. JUL 21

    Customer-Driven Innovation of Highly Efficient Panels

    Many of the products in Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s portfolio were brought to life through customer collaboration. Greg Pierce, senior product manager for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s connectivity products, is back to describe a lean, efficient rack-mount panel offering as an example of customer-driven innovation. Designed hand-in-hand with enterprise customers, our 1RU-3RU panels delivered on their need for lower-cost hardware in protected, out-of-the-way closets, corners, and colocation facilities. Without sacrificing on quality or technician-friendless, these products are now available for all of our customers to consider as part of their network planning. Tune in to this conversation and check out our show notes to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode Links1RU LGX Compact Patch Panel: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/1ru-lgx-compact-patch-panel/ 2RU Flush Mount Panels: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/2ru-flush-mount-panels/ 2RU High Density Panels and Interconnect  Panels/Bulkheads: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/2ru-high-density-panels-and-interconnect-panels-bulkheads/  Rack-Mounted Splice Enclosure: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/rack-mounted-splice-enclosure/ Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pierce-4b977b10/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

    11 min

  7. JUL 7

    Breaking Into Telecom: Careers in Network Infrastructure for the Next Generation

    In this episode of Fiber Focus, Teylor Bremekamp, PMP, RCDD, discusses his path from aerospace engineering to becoming a fiber network design engineer with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave. Teylor’s 10 years of industry experience have led him to consider the imperative of bringing more people into the industry to step into ever-increasing telecom jobs. While many of these roles are highly specialized, the industry itself is broad with positions ranging from Big Tech to manufacturing and installations. Some of these jobs require a college degree or hands-on experience, and others support at-home or on-the-job learning. Teylor details a few of the paths that people can take to find their own way into one of the rapidly growing industry jobs. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksBICSI: https://www.bicsi.org/Sumitomo Electric Industries Careers: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careersTeylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teylor-bremekamp-pmp-rcdd-271aa713b/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

    11 min

  8. JUN 16

    Understanding Air-Blown Fiber® vs Microduct Cable: A Deep Dive into FutureFLEX® Solutions

    Air-blown fiber® and microduct cable have a few things in common, but they are not the same. In this episode of Fiber Focus, Yuko Agano, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product manager supporting air-blown fiber, breaks down the differences between these products. In contrast to the conventional method of pulling cable through conduits, both air-blown fiber and microduct cable are blown through conduits using air pressure. Another similarity is that both of these air-blown technologies speed deployment, minimize downtime, and optimize conduit space. The key differences between these technologies are the products themselves, the pathways and blowing equipment they use, and the maximum fiber count and distance that they can be deployed. Ultimately these differences factor in to the decision of which air-blown technology is right for the customer’s next project. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

    10 min

  9. JUN 2

    Splicing 200µm Pliable Ribbon is Easier Than You Think

    Josh Seawell, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s director of product management, returns to Fiber Focus for a conversation about splicing 200 micron pliable fiber optic ribbon cable. Given its role in enabling the AI Boom and solving for space limitations within data center footprints, 200 micron fiber adoption will continue to surge. For splice technicians, that translates to projects where they could be splicing either the conventional 250 micron fibers or the more compact 200 micron fibers on any given day – or they could be splicing the two fiber sizes together. Fortunately, fusion splicing equipment is evolving right along with cable innovations. A variety of fusion splicers on the market enable 250 and 200 micron splicing, but they are not all created equal. Sumitomo Electric’s Q102-M12+ fusion splicer offers benefits and features that other splicers do not. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksQ102-M12+ Overview: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/q102-m12-plusCustomer Testimonial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZC1jtclzMMJosh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

    10 min

  10. MAY 19

    From Loose Tube to Multicore: A Journey Through Fiber Cable Innovations

    Starting with the first loose tube fiber optic cable of the 1970s, Loren Rapp, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product line manager for fiber optic cable, highlights the key drivers in the evolution of cable design. Initial designs focused on providing protection for fibers being pulled in long-haul applications – either by hand across land or by boat in oceanic deployments – to enable telephone and fax services. The industry has come a long way from offering plain old telephone service (POTS), and fiber optic cable manufacturers have enabled every step of this evolution. Many of today’s cables are designed to pack more fiber in less conduit or ladder rack space for AI and machine learning applications. Some of the cable types discussed in this Fiber Focus episode include tight-buffered, central tube/slotted core, monotube, and microcable. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksOptical Fiber Cable Solutions: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/optical-fiber-cable-solutions/Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-vitter-rapp-a268a61a/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

    12 min

  11. MAY 5

    From Empty Panels to Factory-Finished Solutions: A Deep Dive into Fiber Connectivity

    Not all fiber optic patch panels are built the same. Greg Pierce, senior product manager for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s connectivity products, dives into the reasons why one customer may choose a fully factory-connectorized “plug and play” solution and another would opt for an empty “no bells, no whistles” panel. Pre-connectorization comes with many advantages: high-quality work completed in a clean factory environment, fewer splice points overall with their accompanying dB loss, and savings in terms of on-site installation time and labor costs. The case for pre-connectorization often grows as the network’s fiber density grows; a hyper-scale data center bill of materials is more likely to list custom pre-terminated patch panels and an enterprise customer is more likely to order budget-friendly LGX compact patch panels. Fortunately, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave offers both ends of the spectrum, everything in between, and all the accessories. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Episode LinksPrecisionFlex® Pre-Stubbed Patch Panels: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/precisionflex-pre-stubbed-patch-panels/Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pierce-4b977b10/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly Connect with Sumitomo Electric LightwaveWebsite: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

    10 min

  12. APR 21

    Understanding Pliable Ribbon Technology: Change Can be Hard, Pliable Ribbon Makes it Easy

    In this inaugural episode of Fiber Focus, Josh Seawell, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s director of product management, makes the case for embracing change when it comes to pliable fiber optic ribbon cables. Acknowledging that technology adoption can come with some fear, uncertainty, and doubt, Josh shows how easy it is to navigate pliable ribbon’s almost-flat learning curve. Even better, it comes with a steep payoff related to deployment time, labor costs, and space savings. Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s pliable ribbon cable, offered globally by the name Freeform Ribbon™, is 12x faster to splice vs. single-fiber splicing and delivers 2x the fiber count in the same diameter as traditional ribbon cables. Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X. Freeform Ribbon™ Overview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a408RwpXaUkJosh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

    12 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Fiber Focus is the podcast from Sumitomo Electric Lightwave that explores the technology, tools, and techniques behind modern fiber optic networks. From product innovations to practical insights for data center and on-prem environments, each episode helps industry professionals stay connected to what matters most.

Information

  • Creator
    Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Sumitomo Electric Lightwave