OFC 2027 Guide: Los Angeles Dates, Passes & Attendees
By Ilyas Kerbal,
OFC 2027, the Optical Fiber Communication Conference, moves to the Los Angeles Convention Center, with the technical conference from 7 to 11 March and the exhibition from 9 to 11 March. The 2026 edition drew 17,800 attendees from 73 countries and 706 exhibitors.
With AI data centers driving demand for high-speed optics, OFC has become one of the busiest supply chain events in tech. This guide covers what to know and how vendors can reach hyperscalers, carriers and system makers.
OFC 2027 at a glance
| Next edition | Conference 7-11 March 2027; exhibition 9-11 March 2027, Los Angeles |
| Venue | Los Angeles Convention Center (2027) |
| City | Los Angeles, California (2027) |
| Typical month | March |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Attendance | 17,800 attendees from 73 countries (2026) |
| Exhibitors | 706 exhibitors (2026) |
| Industry | Optical networking, photonics, data-center interconnect |
| Organizer | Optica, IEEE Communications Society and IEEE Photonics Society |
| Official website | ofcconference.org |
About OFC
OFC is where the optical industry meets: transceiver, laser, component and system vendors, hyperscalers, telecom carriers and researchers. With AI data centers driving demand for high-speed optics, OFC has become one of the hottest supply-chain events in tech.
The program mixes peer-reviewed research with business-focused sessions, and the exhibition hosts major product launches.
Location and venue
2027: Los Angeles Convention Center. Previous editions were in San Diego and San Francisco.
Does it change location? Yes, it moves between California cities (San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles).
Blue and white light trails in a dark room. Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash.
Who attends OFC?
- Hyperscaler and data-center network architects
- Telecom carriers
- Component and system vendors
- Researchers
- Investors and analysts
You will find real buyers with real budgets, mixed with technical staff and partners. Segmenting the attendee list by role and company size before the show saves a lot of wasted booth conversations.
Exhibiting or attending OFC? I can deliver the OFC attendee and exhibitor list, enriched with job titles, company size, industry and LinkedIn profiles, as a CRM-ready file before the event starts. Ask for your OFC list on Prospector
Industries and niches covered
- Optical transceivers and components
- Co-packaged optics and silicon photonics
- Data-center interconnect
- Telecom and 5G transport
- Subsea and long-haul
- Quantum and research
Why OFC matters for sales teams
Optical components sit at the heart of AI networking, and buyers at hyperscalers and system makers are qualifying suppliers for the next generation of speeds. OFC is where those conversations happen.
For component, test and software vendors, the most important contacts are network architects and supply chain teams at hyperscalers, carriers and equipment makers. A list of who is attending helps you plan focused meetings during a short, intense exhibition.
Is OFC right for your team?
Go if your buyers work in optical networking and you can identify the specific companies you want to meet. The budget holders are there; the work is in finding them among a large crowd.
Think twice if you can’t staff a booth or meeting schedule properly. Without a target list, OFC can turn into a lot of pleasant conversations and very little pipeline.
Passes and pricing
| Option | Price / details |
|---|---|
| Also good to know | Pass options on ofcconference.org; exhibits-only passes are usually cheap or free with early registration |
| Also good to know | Technical conference registration several hundred to ~$1,000+ |
| Typical cost | Free-low cost for exhibits; conference ~$1,000. |
Prices change between editions and by registration date, so treat these as a guide and check ofcconference.org before you buy.
Event app and digital platform
OFC provides a mobile app/online planner each year.
The official app is good for finding a booth or a session. It is much less useful for prospecting: data is thin, you can’t export it, and messaging limits stop you from reaching more than a handful of people a day.
OFC: strengths and weaknesses
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Center of the AI optics supply chain | Very technical |
| Global audience | Moving cities |
| Strong technical credibility | Expensive conference registration |
How to prospect at OFC
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early planning | Pull the attendee, exhibitor and speaker lists and score them against your ideal customer profile. |
| Pre-show outreach | Contact your top tier personally and your second tier with a short sequence. Aim to book meetings, not booth visits. |
| On site | Work from a printed or mobile list of priority accounts and use breaks and evening events for warm introductions. |
| Post-show | Follow up fast, share what you promised, and keep the list for next year’s edition. |
OFC’s move to Los Angeles may change who travels, especially from Asia-based suppliers and Bay Area hyperscalers. Check your target accounts’ registrations rather than assuming last year’s attendance.
No export button in the event app? I deal with that part. Ask for the OFC list with names, titles, companies and LinkedIn profiles in one file.
Frequently asked questions
When is OFC 2027?
Conference 7-11 March 2027; exhibition 9-11 March 2027, Los Angeles. Dates can shift, so confirm on the official website (ofcconference.org) before booking travel.
Where is OFC held?
2027: Los Angeles Convention Center. Previous editions were in San Diego and San Francisco.
Does it move? Yes, it moves between California cities (San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles).
How much does a OFC ticket cost?
Free-low cost for exhibits; conference ~$1,000. See the pricing table above for pass types.
Who attends OFC?
Mainly hyperscaler and data-center network architects; telecom carriers; component and system vendors; researchers.
Can I get the OFC attendee list?
Event organisers rarely sell attendee lists. Prospector builds one for you from the event app and website: attendees, exhibitors and speakers, enriched with job title, company, company size, industry, LinkedIn profile and work email where available, delivered as a CRM-ready file before the event. Ask about OFC here.
Get the OFC attendee list
Whether you are exhibiting or walking the floor at OFC, the teams that win are the ones who arrive with meetings already booked. Get in touch through Prospector and I’ll put together the attendee list for your event.
Related event guides
- SEMICON West 2026 Guide: Dates, Venue & Who Attends
- NVIDIA GTC 2027 Guide: Dates, Passes & Who Attends
- SC26 Supercomputing Conference Guide: Dates & Attendees
Photo credits
- Cover image: Photo by Kirill Sh on Unsplash
- In-article image: Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash
Sources
Event details were last checked in October 2026. Dates, venues and prices can change, so confirm them on the official event website.