Today, I’m talking with Gary Smith, CEO of the networking company Ciena. You probably aren’t familiar with Ciena — the company isn’t really a household name. But every internet user has relied on the company’s products; Ciena makes the hardware and software that makes the fiber optic cables connecting the world light up with data. 

That’s everything from local fiber networks for broadband ISPs to the massive undersea cables that connect continents. There’s a high probability that this very podcast came to you over a Ciena network, in fact — the company is everywhere. That means almost every single Decoder idea is right here, sitting on the backbone of the internet.

Links: 

• What is WDM or DWDM? | Ciena
• Southern Cross achieves first 1 Tb/s Transmission across Pacific with Ciena | Ciena
• The invisible seafaring industry that keeps the internet afloat | Verge
• The internet really is a series of tubes | Vergecast
• Meta is building the ‘mother of all’ subsea cables | Verge
• Ciena CEO: Prepare for the AI wave | Fierce Network
• The secret life of the 500-plus cables that run the internet CNET
• Fiber-Optic Technology Draws Record Stock Value | NYT

Transcript: https://www.theverge.com/e/24115288

Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Callie Wright. Our supervising producer is Liam James.

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.

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